The education ministry says it will heed the royal decree by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim to implement a comprehensive anti-bullying campaign in all educational institutions under its purview.
The ministry said the campaign, starting at the primary school level, will focus on fostering awareness and cultivating mutual respect among students.
“Core values such as respect, discipline and compassion will be instilled in every student. The campaign will be implemented in collaboration with other ministries to ensure greater impact and effectiveness,” Bernama reported it as saying.
The ministry emphasised that addressing bullying requires collective effort.
“Everyone must work together to combat bullying. It is our shared responsibility to shape a future generation that embodies strong values and noble character,” it said.
It also said it is currently developing a 2027 school curriculum that will prioritise character education and focus on nurturing values to produce people who are well-mannered, ethical and possess integrity.
“The ministry humbly expresses its gratitude for the royal decree from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim regarding the urgent need to address bullying in all educational institutions under the ministry’s care.
“His Majesty’s words serve as a reminder to the ministry’s fraternity of the wide-reaching negative impact of bullying on society and the nation,” it said.
Earlier today, Sultan Ibrahim said failing to curb bullying from a young age risked creating a generation that lacks respect and compassion for others.
“Children must be educated about this issue from an early age… and will learn the importance of mutual respect and discipline through such campaigns,” he said in a Facebook post.
He said bullying not only damages the mental and emotional well-being of victims but can also lead to serious tragedies.
Sultan Ibrahim also said recent amendments to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code to address bullying had demonstrated the government’s commitment to tackling the issue and that a cross-ministerial approach was needed to ensure bullying is addressed comprehensively.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also called today for an immediate end to bullying in schools and the workplace, including at hospitals.
He was commenting on several cases, including the recent death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir and that of tahfiz student Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman, who died 12 years ago.
