PUTRAJAYA: School administrators and teachers bear a major responsibility in tackling bullying, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Fadhlina said bullying was not merely an administrative matter but also a moral duty and an essential part of character education that must be upheld by the entire school community.
She said that bullying must never be “swept under the carpet” and that all incidents in schools must be reported and investigated transparently.
“This is not just a legal or regulatory matter, but a moral duty rooted in education itself, prioritising values, ethics, integrity and character.
“School administrators and teachers must take full responsibility when cases of bullying occur,” she told reporters after attending the Anti-Bullying Town Hall organised by the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) here today.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fadhlina said the Education Ministry had reformed its complaints portal to allow students to lodge reports, including anonymously, if they feared repercussions, to ensure every case was properly investigated.
“This government is committed to taking full responsibility to address bullying in all aspects.
“We want to give parents and students the assurance that all reports will be handled fairly and transparently,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina said that while schools already had internal systems to deal with disciplinary issues, the proposed Anti-Bullying Tribunal would serve as a complementary mechanism.
“For example, in cases where incidents are under-reported or not reported at all, the tribunal will provide an alternative channel.
“It is similar to the Sexual Harassment Tribunal, where people can still use existing systems but also have access to the tribunal,” she said.
On cases involving criminal elements, Fadhlina said these would continue to be referred to the courts.
“If bullying results in serious offences, such as those leading to injury or death, they fall under the Penal Code and must go through the criminal justice system.
“But the tribunal will act as an intermediary mechanism between school-level systems and the courts,” she said.
Azalina added that the government’s key message was that both perpetrators and victims would have access to a responsive system, not confined to schools alone.
“The policy decision still under discussion is whether the law will focus solely on those under 18 in schools, or be expanded to cover the general public. This may be done in phases,” she said.
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