Physical bullying tops list of complaints received by tribunal

The anti-bullying tribunal reported 56 cases of bullying in its first month of operation, with physical bullying accounting for 41 of those cases. The tribunal president, Nurul Husna Awang, detailed that the physical bullying incidents involved students being beaten, pushed, kicked, or having their belongings damaged. Emotional and psychological bullying, including threats, insults, and actions causing fear or stress, made up six of the cases.

Verbal bullying, cyber bullying, and social bullying were reported to be less common, with three, five, and one cases respectively. The majority of victims were teenagers aged 13 to 17, with 35 cases, followed by children aged 7 to 12 (18 cases) and those below seven (3 cases). Ethnic breakdown showed 29 Chinese, 24 Malay, and 3 Indian victims.

Of the 56 victims, 33 were boys and 33 girls. There are currently 12 active cases and 44 resolved ones, with 37 rejections at the screening stage, six resolved through hearings, and one withdrawn by the complainant. The tribunal also noted that 12 cases involve multiple perpetrators. Law Minister Azalina Othman Said mentioned that five cases were resolved through various awards, including counselling and monetary damages.

The tribunal serves as a supplementary platform for victims whose complaints may not be adequately addressed by educational institutions. The story's relevance was underscored by a recent tragic incident where a 16-year-old student at a sports school in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, died after reportedly being beaten up by an older student, who has since been arrested in connection with the murder investigation.