Lyna Mohamad
A viral video showing an alleged case of bullying at a school’s prayer room has brought the issue again into the national spotlight.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) issued a statement about the video, stating that any act of bullying or behaviour that causes injury or damage to school property is taken seriously and is completely unacceptable.
The ministry said an investigation has been launched to identify the individuals involved and to make an assessment of the incident.
The ministry said they are committed to creating a safe environment for school students and will cooperate with relevant parties in dealing with the matter.
Meanwhile, the ministry called for public cooperation to channel such matters or materials to the authorities and not spread them on public platforms as it may cause speculation or interfere with investigations.
In a poll on the Bulletin’s instagram yesterday, 59 per cent of 501 respondents said they were bullied while in school.
A similar poll by Media Permata showed 60 per cent of some 310 respondents were also victims of school bullying.
Members of the public also shared their concerns with the Bulletin.
“The well-being and safety of our students are of paramount importance. We are supposed to take all instances of bullying extremely seriously,” said Haji Hasbol.
He said teachers, counsellors and relevant authorities have to work diligently to address the situation and support all parties involved.
“Incidents of bullying can cause distress and concern for both the targetted students and their families, so it must be addressed promptly and effectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nolly said bullying seems to be prevalent nowadays, perhaps caused by the lack of attention or self-esteem issues.
“Can you imagine the trauma of being bullied? It could affect the rest of the victim’s life,” she said of the recent case.
“As for the bully, it could become a police case. How would it affect their future?” she added.
Nolly believes there is a need for more campaigns to educate students on the consequences of bullying and the importance of empathy and respect.
However, Omar said the matter is “embarrasing”. He said that such undesirable acts of bravado among juveniles should be addressed promptly, “not merely just saying it is under investigation”.
“Maybe it is about time that the relevant authorities double their efforts to curb this issue,” he said.
The viral video of the alleged incident began with one student pinning another with a leg-lock.
The purported bully then rose, pretended to offer a hand to the victim before launching a series of blows with his hands and feet on the prone boy.
The attacker then returned to pinning down the student with his knees, while two other students were seen circling the duo and filming with their smartphones.
