Kuala lumpur: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced that the government is set to hold a special retreat aimed at coordinating standard operating procedures (SOPs) to address bullying cases comprehensively. Fahmi, who also serves as the MADANI Government spokesperson, emphasized that this initiative follows the recent amendment to Section 507 of the Penal Code, which now classifies bullying as a criminal offence.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fahmi highlighted the importance of aligning SOPs across various institutions in light of the new legal stipulations. He noted that ministries and agencies such as the Education Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be involved in this effort. Fahmi pointed out that the differing SOPs among these agencies necessitate a unified approach for effective prosecution and safety measures.

In a related development, Fahmi mentioned that Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), presented a proposal to the Cabinet for establishing a tribunal dedicated to handling bullying cases involving children. Azalina has requested additional time to prepare the necessary documents before resubmitting the proposal to the Cabinet for further consideration.

Previously, Azalina indicated that the government was considering the enactment of an Anti-Bullying Act to establish a tribunal specifically for student and child-related bullying cases. Currently, bullying incidents are addressed under various laws, including the Online Safety Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, labour laws, and specific provisions of the Penal Code.