Physical bullying tops Anti-Bullying Tribunal complaints

Physical bullying emerges as the leading cause of complaints to the Anti-Bullying Tribunal (TAB) in Malaysia, accounting for 41 out of 56 recorded cases, according to the tribunal's president Nurul Husna Awang. The physical acts range from hitting, pushing, and kicking to damaging property. Emotional and psychological bullying, encompassing threats, insults, and actions causing fear and distress, accounted for six complaints.

Verbal and language bullying, including hurtful remarks and ridicule, made up five complaints. Two complaints were related to cyberbullying, while one each pertained to social bullying and social exclusion. The majority of victims, 35 in number, were teenagers aged 13 to 17, followed by children aged 7 to 12 with 18 cases. Thirty-three of the 56 victims were male, while 29 were Chinese, 24 Malay, and three Indian.

The tribunal has 86 respondents, with 65 being male and 21 female. Currently, 12 cases are still active, with four at the screening stage, seven at the hearing stage, and one pending further hearing. Thirty-four complaints were resolved, with 37 rejected at the screening stage, six settled through tribunal hearings, and one withdrawn by the complainant.

The tribunal takes 60 days to resolve a case once the hearing begins. The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said mentioned that the awards issued include apologies to victims, participation in counseling programs, and compensation of RM2,000 in one case. The approach of TAB is not solely punitive but also focused on victim recovery and correcting the behavior of the perpetrators.