KUALA LUMPUR – The Dewan Rakyat has passed the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025, which introduces a specific legal framework for addressing bullying complaints, including mechanisms for reporting, prevention, and managing incidents of bullying in educational institutions.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, said during the debate closure that, initially, the Bill will apply to individuals aged 18 and below.
“I stand here today to make a commitment that, God willing, next year we will evaluate the effectiveness of this Bill for those under 18, and in 2026, we will consider expanding its application to those aged 18 and above,” she said.
Azalina further explained that under the Bill, tribunals can issue orders for respondents, or in the case of minors, their parents or guardians, to pay compensation or damages of up to RM250,000 for any loss or harm suffered by the victim as a result of bullying.
She elaborated that the approach aims to be preventative, as responsibility for children’s behaviour cannot solely be placed on schools or teachers, according to Bernama.
“If parents know that they too may be liable for compensation due to their child’s irresponsible behaviour, I believe this can serve as a preventive measure,” she remarked.
The Bill also allows tribunals to direct parents or guardians to accompany the minor respondents to counselling sessions or parenting support programmes provided by government agencies, reinforcing the preventative approach.
In her second reading of the Bill, Azalina highlighted that the Ministry of Education’s Student Character System statistics show that over 14,000 cases of bullying have been reported annually in primary and secondary schools since 2019.
She added that the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022 by the Ministry of Health revealed that 8.6% of students aged 13 to 17 had been victims of bullying, with three times the risk of developing depression or self-harm tendencies.
Meanwhile, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) recorded 160 bullying cases, including physical and online bullying, with 78% of victims being children aged 6 to 17 years between August and October this year.
“Overall, these statistics confirm that schools are the primary location for bullying incidents and that children are the most exposed and vulnerable group,” she concluded. – December 3, 2025.