KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — A group of activists is urging the government to urgently enact a dedicated Anti-Bullying Act in response to the recent spate of cases nationwide.
Gerakan Gubal Akta Anti Buli (GAB) chairman Wan Azliana Wan Adnan said this is crucial to provide a clear legal definition of bullying and to criminalise such acts.
She said the law would also offer better protection for victims and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.
"Currently, there is no Anti-Bullying Act in Malaysia, that is why we are championing it. There needs to be a dedicated Act that clearly defines a bully," Azliana said during a press conference today.
She noted that although recent amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, which came into force last month, were intended to address bullying, the term “bully” was not specifically mentioned.
"So, how can we say that bullying is a crime? This causes confusion to the society, authorities and lawyers on what exactly constitutes bullying,” said Azliana.
Also present were senior lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdullah, CPC International managing director and child psychologist Noor Aishah Rosli, and former judicial officer Abdul Hayyi Salim.
GAB began in 2022 with a memorandum to propose the enactment of an Anti-Bullying Act submitted to the Higher Education Ministry, the Legal Affairs Division, and the Education Ministry.
However, the study, conducted jointly with Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Unisza), was halted in 2023 due to funding constraints.
Azliana added that GAB is now launching a petition to gather public support and pressure the government to fast-track its enactment.
"We can only give suggestions and ideas, so we urge everyone to heed our call. Take this issue seriously,” she said.
Members of the public can sign the petition by visiting https://www.change.org/p/gubal-akta-anti-bulisekarangffd901ad-49f3-4e07-847d-91465df8e7d6?source_location=search.
