Kota Kinabalu: Victims of bully will have another avenue to seek redress – the Anti-Bullying Tribunal - which will be tabled at the Cabinet meeting today (Friday) as part of the Government’s commitment to address bullying cases in school.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, said once the Cabinet agreed on the policy framework, the next step would be to table the Anti-Bullying Bill.
“This proposed Anti-Bullying Tribunal aims to expedite the handling of bullying cases and provide a faster, victim-centred avenue for redress,” she said.
She said the tribunal would operate as a quasi-judicial body focusing solely on civil matters, without overlapping with criminal proceedings for bully cases that have criminal elements.
“Legislation alone is not enough. Hence, the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) under the Prime Minister’s Department is currently reviewing the Anti-Bullying Bill, which includes the establishment of the tribunal to handle complaints involving vulnerable individuals under 18,” she said.
Azalina said they want the system to function on its own, whereby every institution — whether under the Education Ministry (KPM), Mara, or the Defence Ministry — already has its own disciplinary mechanisms.
“This proposed law will not interfere with the existing systems. Under the proposed framework, the tribunal would step in when individuals are dissatisfied with internal rulings or wish to pursue civil remedies such as compensation or apologies.
“This approach is not merely punitive, it is also educational and rehabilitative, aligning with the Child Act 2001, which protects children’s rights, privacy and access to legal assistance while ensuring accountability for wrongdoing,” Azalina said.
She said this in a press conference after chairing a town hall session on the Anti-Bullying Tribunal #GenerationWithoutBullying (Sabah Series) with representatives of Law Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Department, Ministry of Education, Sabah Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Rani Alias, Sabah Federal Secretary and Child Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Binti Dusuki, here, Thursday.
Azalina said bully cases plus criminal elements may go to the police for further action and can be charged in court where the prosecution and judges will come in, and this would be a separate issue.
She said there would be a situation whereby the victims of bully may want to make a civil claim which they can bring to the tribunal.
“For example, there was one case involving bullying where the victim took seven to nine years to obtain RM600,000 in damages.
“If the tribunal had existed, it could have been resolved within a year — possibly in 60 to 90 days.
“This proposed tribunal’s process is quite similar to that of the Sexual Harassment Tribunal under the Women’s Ministry, which operates within 90 days, as well as giving out their decisions.
“Hence, we hope this Anti-Bullying Tribunal will come up with the processes. It could be within 60 or 90 days which is faster and it is regarding civil matter,” Azalina said.
To a question, she said the proposed tribunal will not impose jail sentences, as criminal elements in bullying cases will still be handled by the police and criminal courts.
“The tribunal can only impose fines, award compensation, or order an apology. Jail terms fall under the criminal court’s jurisdiction,” she added.
Azalina also explained that the upcoming Anti-Bullying Act will define what constitutes bullying, recognising that it involves multiple types of conduct and applies beyond school settings, including for those below 18 who are not in formal education.
She said victims of bully above 18 would also be looked into which will be in the later part.
She said public engagement sessions held across the Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah had yielded consistent feedback from educators, parents, students and NGOs.
“The response has been quite positive. People understand that the tribunal looks at all angles — the victim, the perpetrator and the system — unlike the court process, which is lengthy and often discourages victims from pursuing justice,” she added.