AN MCA leader has criticised Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s recent proposal to provide a special incentive to schools if they can show a perfect record of zero-bullying cases.
Calling the proposal “deeply flawed” and “potentially harmful” in its implications, Beliawanis MCA chairperson Ivone Low Yi Wen warned that such a policy would inadvertently drive school principals, senior staff and teachers to conceal, ignore or reject genuine reports of bullying to misleadingly portray safety.
“Rather than addressing the deep-rooted and evolving crisis of school bullying—now manifesting as cyberbullying, psychological harassment, and increasingly violent assaults—it is bewildering that Fadhlina has promised giving incentives to schools that record zero bullying cases,” Low stated.
“Incentivising the absence of recorded cases does not reflect the absence of bullying itself. Instead, it propels silence, fear, and institutional denial.
“Bullies will be emboldened, and victims will be discouraged from coming forward, fearing retaliation.”
Low further warned that bullying is often hidden due to stigma, trauma or mistrust in school authorities, and by tying financial rewards to so-called clean records, the Education Ministry risks turning a blind eye to real abuse.
“Are we to expect more fatuous policies next? Rewards for zero reports of sexual harassment, or hiding inappropriate touches and conduct by paedophile educators toward minors?” she asked.
“These would be grotesque distortions of responsibility, undermining the moral fabric of school governance.”
Low said if the Education Ministry is truly committed to student safety, it should prioritise transparent and accurate reporting of bullying cases, regardless of severity or the status of the perpetrator, to ensure early intervention and real accountability.
The Ministry should also encourage confidential reporting, with robust protection for victims to prevent retaliation and shame, and establish anonymous hotlines and digital platforms for safe, discreet reporting by students, parents, guardians and staff.
Meanwhile, teachers, counsellors and staff should also be trained to recognise and respond to physical, emotional and cyberbullying.
Low went on to request an increased Budget 2026 allocation to installing high-definition CCTV cameras, especially in blind spots such as stairwells, corridors, store rooms, back fields, and unused classrooms while also providing more counsellors and mental health professionals in schools.
According to Low, school authorities must be compelled to report suspected physical assault bullying and sexual harassment cases to the police and online bullying cases to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) the way medical doctors are being mandated to report suspected child abuse cases to the police.
“Implement the ‘You Touch, You Go’ principle, as adopted by MARA chairman DAtuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, whereby any physical assault or sexual misconduct results in immediate expulsion or legal action. This signals zero tolerance without ambiguity,” she further proposed.
In addition to fostering peer support systems and student-led anti-bullying campaigns, parents and communities, too, must be engaged through awareness campaigns and town halls to strengthen societal resolve.
“The Education Minister needs to stop chasing clean statistics at the cost of student well-being,” Low stressed.
“A culture of silence is not progress but complicity. Schools should be places of integrity, safety, and truth, not hollow symbols of false perfection.”
During a visit to a school in Taiping, Perak, on Sunday (Aug 17), Fadhlina was reported to have said she would give incentives to the school if it successfully achieved a “zero-bullying” record.
This followed a spate of bullying cases in schools, including in the death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
On Monday (Aug 18), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told the Dewan Rakyat that the investigation into the tragic death of the 13-year-old student had revealed elements of bullying, neglect and sexual harrassment. ‒ Aug 20, 2025
Main image: The Star
