Yet another young student has died, this time at a residential school in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan.
Police are investigating under section 302 of the Penal Code, which covers murder, and have detained two students to assist. The cause of death is still undetermined. Whether bullying played a part has yet to be established.
Whatever the outcome, bullying remains a continuing threat in our schools.
Figures we cannot see
What is increasingly worrying is that there are no public, official national figures on deaths caused directly by bullying in Malaysia.
The Ministry of Education Ministry and police record reported bullying cases.
But apparently, deaths are not counted as a separate category in the figures available to the public. A death may instead be recorded as murder or suspected suicide, depending on the circumstances. It is then not identified as a ‘death by bullying’.
Ministry figures show bullying cases hit a record 7,681 in 2024. They then fell to 2,889 in 2025, a drop of about 62%.
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We should not assume bullying itself fell by that much. The ministry said the high 2024 figure was partly linked to greater awareness and compliance with its 2023 guidelines on managing bullying. In other words, changes in reporting may have affected the numbers.
Either way, there are no official records showing how many cases ended in death.
Bullying is a concern in all our education institutions, including religious hostels.
School bullying goes beyond discipline. It is perhaps a sign of growing social, economic and political failures.
Religious teaching too seems to be falling short, as even religious schools are not free of it.
Many argue that bullying is everywhere in the world. That may be so, but it is no excuse for inaction.
Politicians, meanwhile, seem quick to ride high on news of bullying, skewing the real issues in the absence of transparent investigations.
Surely we do not need an Einstein brain wave to see what to do.
We should set up a team of experts from different bodies, including academics. They should study the problem and offer workable recommendations for all schools and hostels.
What is most lacking is the national will to take bullying seriously. We need it to tackle this growing cancer among us before it becomes unstoppable.
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
