Crime, bullying incidents in schools spark comprehensive reforms

KUALA LUMPUR: This year marked a major turning point for the country in addressing school safety issues following several heartbreaking incidents involving bullying and crime in educational institutions.

Comprehensive reforms were initiated, including the drafting of the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025, which Parliament passed on Dec 3. Additionally, an age limit of 16-years-old for social media use was implemented to protect children and adolescents from inappropriate content, expected to begin next year.

The death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Form One student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha, Sabah, was the most shocking tragedy, sparking a wave of public concern nationwide.

Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near the school dormitory on the morning of July 16.

On Aug 20, five teenage girls were charged at the Kota Kinabalu Children’s Court in Sabah with using abusive language against Zara Qairina under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code.

The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) also decided to conduct an inquest to determine the cause and reason for the student’s death, with proceedings at the Coroner’s Court still ongoing.

The country was also shocked by the incident where a 16-year-old female student was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old male student at a school in Bandar Utama on Oct 14. Police believe social media influence and emotional drive were among the factors involved.

Additionally, online games were suspected to have influenced a six-year-old boy, who was seriously injured after being slashed by his nine-year-old brother in Batu Pahat, Johor, on Oct 27.

A 10-year-old student was also found unconscious in his school toilet in Senawang, Negri Sembilan, and pronounced dead on Oct 1, with an autopsy revealing the cause of death to be pressure applied to his neck.

Besides serious criminal cases, several bullying incidents were reported at Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) in Penang, Melaka, and Terengganu. The perpetrators faced strict disciplinary action, including expulsion from school, following investigation by the disciplinary board.

The issue of bullying has received serious attention from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who emphasised that if this negative culture is not curbed at the school level, it risks producing a generation that lacks respect and love for fellow human beings.

Following this, the government, through the Communications Ministry, has implemented a comprehensive National Anti-Bullying Awareness Campaign across television, radio, social media, and digital platforms to combat bullying.

At the Education Ministry level, all state education directors and District Education Office (PPD) officers were instructed to conduct surprise visits to schools and engage with students in dormitories.

Additionally, the Education Ministry is improving safety features in schools, such as adding closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and increasing the number of hostel wardens. A total of 10,096 new teachers, including over 500 guidance and counselling teachers, have also been placed in schools nationwide starting last month to enhance students’ psychosocial well-being.

Statistics from the Educaiton Ministry’s Student Self-Personality System show that since 2019, an average of over 14,000 bullying cases have been reported annually in primary and secondary schools.

Data from the Royal Malaysia Police recorded 160 bullying cases, including physical and online bullying, between August and October this year, with 78% of the victims being children aged 6 to 17 years old.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated that the statistics confirm schools as the main location for bullying incidents, with children being the most exposed and vulnerable group.