Anti-bullying Tribunal Paper To Be Tabled At Cabinet Meeting Tomorrow - Azalina

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 23 (Bernama) – The proposed paper on the Anti-Bullying Tribunal will be tabled at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow as part of the government’s commitment to address bullying cases in schools, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

She said once the Cabinet agreed on the policy framework, the next step would be to table the Anti-Bullying Bill, which was now almost complete.

“We first need to present the general policies through town hall sessions that we are conducting with members of the public, with the assistance of several ministries that help us evaluate possible feedback and responses.

“Once the Cabinet has approved the policy, we will engage with several members of Parliament to continue discussions and obtain their input. This is an indirect form of public engagement,” she told reporters after the Anti-Bullying Tribunal town hall session here, today.

Azalina said the Bill would also look to establish a tribunal with quasi-judicial powers to handle bullying cases through a civil process, allowing faster and more efficient resolution.

“We are trying to explain that the tribunal has quasi-judicial powers. The aim is for the institutional system to function independently, and the law will not interfere with existing disciplinary mechanisms in various institutions,” she added.

She stressed that the tribunal would only handle civil cases, while bullying cases involving criminal elements would continue to fall under the jurisdiction of the police and criminal courts.

Citing an example, she said a previous bullying-related civil case took almost nine years to resolve through the courts, but under the tribunal system, similar matters could be settled within 60 to 90 days, similar to the sexual harassment tribunal under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

Earlier in her speech, Azalina said that the approach of establishing the tribunal was the best for both victims and perpetrators (bullies) as the tribunal process was faster and allowed for rehabilitation efforts, offering a second chance.

She said Malaysia had strengthened its laws to curb bullying by amending the Penal Code (Sections 507A–507G) and enacting the Online Safety Act 2025.

However, laws alone are not sufficient, hence the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) is currently reviewing the Anti-Bullying Bill, including the establishment of a quasi-judicial tribunal for complaints involving vulnerable groups under the age of 18.

“Our approach is not merely to punish but also to educate and rehabilitate, in line with the Child Act 2001, which protects the confidentiality and legal aid rights of children without denying accountability for offences.

“Efforts to address bullying require a whole-of-government approach and community cooperation.

“Therefore, I encourage every Malaysian to take part in the public survey on the proposed drafting of the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025 on the PetaRI portal (https://petari.bheuu.gov.my ) to share views, suggestions and ideas in finding a comprehensive solution to this issue.”

-- BERNAMA