State records 126 bullying cases in 2025, prompting multi-agency task force to protect young people
KUCHING: Sarawak has established a dedicated anti-bullying committee in response to alarming statistics showing elevated numbers of confirmed bullying incidents affecting students and young people across the state.
The newly formed Sarawak Anti-Bullying Committee will operate under the Sarawak Social Development Council, which is managed by the Ministry of Women, Community Wellbeing and Family Development.
State Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah announced the initiative following a council meeting in Kuching, revealing concerning data about the extent of bullying in Sarawak.
From January 1 through November 30, authorities documented 126 verified bullying cases involving youth and students throughout the state. The previous year saw even higher numbers, with 166 confirmed cases recorded across Sarawak in 2024.
“We thus need to set up a specific body to tackle such bullying woes to reflect the Sarawak government commitment to protect our children, students and young ones to ensure a safe and violent-free place to grow up,” Fatimah stated.
The minister emphasised the necessity of coordinated multi-agency collaboration to identify underlying causes of bullying behavior and pinpoint locations where incidents are most likely to occur, enabling rapid intervention.
The committee will be chaired by the ministry’s permanent secretary and brings together representatives from multiple government departments and organizations with relevant expertise.
Member agencies include the Royal Malaysia Police, Sarawak Education Department, Sarawak Welfare Department, Health Department, and Sarawak Multimedia Authority. Federal bodies such as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will also participate.
Mental health organisations in Sarawak, educational institutions, and community groups round out the committee’s composition, ensuring a holistic approach that addresses psychological, social, and institutional dimensions of bullying.
The anti-bullying task force has been authorised to begin operations with immediate effect, signaling the state government’s urgency in addressing the issue.
The committee’s mandate includes identifying root causes of bullying behavior, mapping potential hotspots where incidents are more likely to occur, coordinating response mechanisms across different agencies, and implementing preventive strategies to create safer environments for young people.
By establishing this specialised body, the Sarawak government aims to demonstrate its commitment to child welfare and youth protection, ensuring that schools and communities provide secure, violence-free spaces for development and growth.
The formation of this committee positions Sarawak as proactive in addressing youth safety concerns through structured, coordinated intervention rather than fragmented responses to individual incidents.
