Kuala lumpur: The proposal to draft an Anti-Bullying Act is expected to be tabled at a Cabinet meeting soon, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. She emphasized the importance of discussions at the policy level, as relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), the Education Ministry (MoE), the Higher Education Ministry (MoHE), and the Ministry of National Unity, are expected to provide their perspectives on the enforcement aspects of the law.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azalina stated that after each ministry submits its feedback, the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) will conduct a detailed study and engagement sessions before the matter is brought to the policy level and subsequently to Parliament. She was speaking at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 themed 'Empowering Access to Justice in the ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive Growth in the Digital Era' at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Azalina highlighted the current issue of the absence of a specific definition of bullying or penalties for such offences under existing legal provisions. Bullying-related cases are currently addressed under various laws, including the Online Safety Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, labour laws, and several provisions under the Penal Code. BHEUU will soon issue a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify the differences between the Penal Code and the Child Act, aiming to avoid public confusion.
Azalina assured that while children cannot be tried in an open court, the law remains applicable to everyone, whether children or adults. She also noted that the MoE has established comprehensive procedures for addressing bullying cases in schools through a detailed guideline document.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, speaking at the Finance Ministry's Monthly Assembly in Putrajaya, stated that the proposal to establish a tribunal on bullying cases involving students and children will also be presented at the Cabinet meeting.
The ASEAN Law Forum 2025, a three-day event, gathered 58 speakers and moderators across 15 sessions, with over 300 participants from ASEAN and international bodies discussing various topics, including alternative dispute resolution, commercial law reform, and human rights in the digital era. Distinguished attendees included Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Anna Joubin-Bret, Timor-Leste's Justice Minister S©rgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, and Laos' Deputy Justice Minister Ketsana Phommachanh.