KUCHING: Cyberbullying has emerged as a growing concern in Sarawak, with researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) warning that inconsistent data may not reflect the full extent of student bullying.
Dr Tharshini Sivabalan, Dr Faizah Mas’ud and Noor’ain Aini of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities said official statistics often failed to capture unreported incidents.
They noted that while some figures indicated fluctuations in cases, the rise of cyberbullying required stronger digital safeguards and comprehensive support systems for students.
“While some data show a decline, these numbers may not reflect reality as many cases often go unreported.
“At the same time, cyberbullying is becoming a more prominent concern, underscoring the need for proactive digital safeguards,” they said to Sarawak Tribune.
They cautioned that this evolving form of bullying, if left unchecked, could have lasting effects on students’ well-being, confidence, and academic motivation.
On contributing factors, the team pointed out that personal traits, peer pressure, normalisation of aggressive behaviour, and unresolved conflicts all played a role in bullying.
They observed that students often engaged in bullying to seek peer acceptance, with some rationalising their actions as jokes or demonstrations of bravery.
They also linked cases to poor parental involvement, jealousy, academic rivalry and limited moral grounding, which can weaken a student’s sense of empathy and self-control.
“The desire to be accepted by peers, for example, may drive a student to bully just to remain in a group.
“Normalisation is another factor – when peers laugh or ignore bullying, it reinforces its acceptability.
“Busy parents who cannot monitor children’s daily routines or emotions may also miss the early signs of bullying behaviour,” they explained.
On impact, they said bullying often led to anxiety, loss of concentration, declining motivation and absenteeism, particularly in schools with limited counselling support.
They added that many students developed fear of attending school, while some faced long-term consequences such as lower self-esteem and increased vulnerability to depression.
They stressed that bullying not only disrupted academic performance but also hindered social and emotional development, leaving students with trust issues and confidence struggles.
“Students who are bullied often experience declining classroom performance and exam results due to stress, anxiety and lack of concentration.
“In rural areas, limited support services can worsen the problem, with some victims eventually dropping out of school altogether.
“Bullying can also undermine self-esteem and create lasting psychological scars, including depression and long-term trust issues,” they added.
From an academic perspective, the researchers said global evidence pointed to whole-school approaches such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme (OBPP) as most effective.
They explained that such programmes combined clear anti-bullying policies, consistent supervision in school “hotspots” and interventions involving both perpetrators and victims.
They noted that these frameworks had been widely applied in Europe and the United States, with emphasis on long-term prevention and systemic change.
“The strength of OBPP lies in its whole-school approach, involving regular reinforcement of anti-bullying norms through clear policies and meetings.
“Effective supervision of school corridors, canteens, toilets, playgrounds and classrooms has proven to reduce the frequency of bullying incidents.
“Individual and group interventions for both perpetrators and victims also play a critical role in addressing the behaviour holistically,” they said.
For Sarawak, they recommended stronger data collection, improved reporting systems, and competency training for teachers to better identify and manage bullying incidents.
They suggested establishing complaint boxes, online and QR code reporting mechanisms, and ensuring reported cases were acted upon within 24 hours.
They said these measures, combined with long-term monitoring and support, could help education authorities build safer and more supportive school environments.
“The Sarawak Education Department (JPN) should collect more specific data, including type, location and frequency, to map bullying hotspots.
“Provide competency training for teachers – including discipline and counsellors – on identifying and managing bullying incidents, as well as ensuring both short- and long-term monitoring at the school level in Sarawak,” they stressed.
