KUALA LUMPUR: The special committee on tackling bullying has reviewed a proposal to draft an Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill to establish a quasi-judicial body to handle cases, particularly those involving students and children.
The matter was discussed at a meeting on strengthening anti-bullying mechanisms in Malaysia, organised by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department (BHEUU) and chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
BHEUU said the meeting focused on several matters, including strengthening the existing legal framework by incorporating elements of rehabilitation and child protection, rather than focusing solely on punitive measures.
“Rehabilitative approaches for perpetrators who are still children or adolescents must align with the principles of the Child Act 2001.
“A whole-of-government approach is also needed to ensure that anti-bullying measures are comprehensively implemented in schools, institutions of higher learning, workplaces, local communities and the digital space,” it said in a statement.
It said the meeting is a crucial starting point in developing a concrete and effective action plan on bullying.
The department said it is committed to ensuring that every proposal developed through this meeting is translated into realistic, inclusive and forward-looking actions.
“With the close cooperation of all ministries, agencies and stakeholders, BHEUU is confident that a safer, more harmonious and bully-free environment can be created, in line with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani,” it said.
On Aug 29, unity government spokesman Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the committee’s primary objective was to streamline Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for handling bullying cases, particularly in light of recent amendments to the Penal Code introducing specific provisions on bullying, which came into effect in July.
This development follows the case of a group of teenagers who last month became the first to be charged under the new law for allegedly bullying the late Form One student, Zara Qairina Mahathir.
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