KUCHING: Tackling school bullying in Malaysia requires enforcement mechanisms as strong as its prevention strategies.
Dr Margarita Peredaryenko and Avyce Heng, members of a research team at EMIR Research, said that policies must deliver deterrence, ensure fair investigations, and close the loopholes that allow cases, especially in elite schools, to be suppressed.
“EMIR Research recommends for automatic expulsion with mandatory rehabilitation before re-entry. For serious or repeated bullying, students should be immediately removed from their current school.
“Re-enrolment in any mainstream institution should only be permitted after completing a certified behavioural intervention programme,” they said in a published article titled ‘From outrage to action: Closing Malaysia’s loophole on school bullying’ recently.
Margarita, who is also the Chief Research Officer at EMIR Research, and Heng also stressed that a centralised Ministry of Education (MoE) registry should track offenders to ensure compliance and prevent quiet transfers that bypass accountability.
They also suggested that an independent investigation panels for serious cases be carried out to prevent school bullying.
“To oversee severe incidents, regional inquiry boards consisting of MoE officials, legal representatives and independent child rights advocates need to be established,” they said.
Apart from that, they also emphasised that school bullying can be tackled by enacting comprehensive anti-bullying legislation, which is giving a definition for physical, verbal, relational and cyberbullying in law.
“Require all MoE-registered institutions to have enforceable anti-bullying policies, detailing penalties, safe reporting procedures, and clear timelines for response,” they said.
Margarita and Heng’s statement is further supported by Rees et al, (2022), which states that evidence shows such laws reduce victimisation, depression and suicidal behaviours among students.
In addition, they also suggested that secure and direct reporting channels should be provided.
“All institutions must maintain anonymous, tamper-proof reporting systems, online portals or physical drop boxes, directly linked to investigation bodies.
“Malaysia’s existing anti-bullying portal should be replaced with a dedicated national platform that automatically connects victims to police, counsellors and child protection services,” they said.
Besides, they pointed out that school bullying can also be prevented through whistleblower protection and anti-interference laws.
“Criminalise any attempt to intimidate, bribe, or obstruct a bullying investigation. Protect students, teachers, and staff who report incidents from retaliation, with legal immunity where appropriate,” they insisted.
Additionally, they viewed that school-based mental health screening and counselling can also be one of the measures to fight school bully by conducting bi-annual screenings to identify at-risk students.
“Partner with certified mental health professionals to deliver evidence-based interventions, focusing on both victims and perpetrators to break cycles of violence,” they said.
On top of that, they said that prevention and rehabilitation education are also vital in combating school bullies such as by embedding bullying prevention in the national curriculum, including conflict resolution, empathy-building and media literacy.
“Develop targeted rehabilitation programmes for offenders, with monitored reintegration into school communities,” they said.
Margarita and Heng also said that bully cases can be cracked down by providing educator training and accountability.
“Teachers need to complete specialised training in classroom management, non-violent discipline, early detection of bullying, and proper incident reporting. Establish consequences for staff who fail to act on reported cases,” they further said.
They emphasised that on-campus security also needs to be strengthened in order to curb school bullying cases.
“Deploying trained security personnel and wardens in schools and dormitories, with daily patrols in known hotspots such as bathrooms and secluded areas,” they recommend.
They added that parental and community engagement also plays an essential role in fighting bullying cases.
“Engage parents in early-warning and prevention initiatives, and collaborate with NGOs, youth groups, and faith-based organisations to extend anti-bullying campaigns into communities,” they said.
Ultimately, they said mandatory transparency reporting should also be enforced.
“Require all schools to publish anonymised quarterly data on bullying incidents, investigation outcomes, and measures taken, consolidated into an annual national report by the MoE.
“This is because without decisive enforcement and sustained prevention, victims will remain voiceless in the very institutions meant to safeguard them while perpetrators, often shielded by influence or inaction, continue without consequence,” they said.
Magarita and Heng also stressed that breaking the bullying cycle must be paired with strict, enforceable laws with independent oversight, embed mental health and rehabilitation at the core of its education system, and close every loophole that allows bullying to be minimised or ignored.
“The failure to act decisively will not only invite more preventable tragedies but also deepen public distrust in the nation’s commitment to protect its children.
“Only by holding every school, teacher, parent and student accountable can we create learning environments where safety is non-negotiable and respect is the norm,” they said.
