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Opinion

Malaysia’s school bullying cases rise 142% in two years amid calls for tougher enforcement

Penang recorded 1,302 bullying and social misconduct cases in its schools from January 2023 to September 2025, according to state education department figures, up from 289 in 2023 to 700 in 2024.

Source: Penang Institute · August 24, 2026 at 11:01 PM · AI-assisted report

Opinion
Malaysia’s school bullying cases rise 142% in two years amid calls for tougher enforcement
Photo: Ah Wei (Lung Wei) via flickr (BY-SA)

PENANG, 25 AUGUST 2026 —

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Penang recorded 1,302 bullying and social misconduct cases in its schools from January 2023 to September 2025, according to state education department figures, up from 289 in 2023 to 700 in 2024.

Market Impact

The sharp increase follows the Dewan Rakyat’s approval this year of the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025, which creates an Anti-Bullying Tribunal to handle reports and preventive efforts, according to Suzalina (2025). The ministry also issued a 2023 circular encouraging schools to adopt value-education programmes and collaborate with police, NGOs and parents.

Yet educators say policy and practice remain misaligned. The Penang data shows 86 of the cases were reported to police, with the Northeast District logging 30 incidents, North Seberang Perai 18, South Seberang Perai 20, Southwest District 10 and Central Seberang Perai eight.

Large-scale awareness campaigns reached 396 schools, town hall sessions were held and boarding schools were placed under tighter monitoring. Early interventions now include counselling, peer mentoring, social-emotional learning, community service for offenders and digital monitoring to flag at-risk students, according to Imran and Chern (2025).

Still, the state’s annual totals jumped from 289 in 2023 to 700 in 2024, the highest on record, and 313 by September 2025. Researchers warn that without stronger teacher training and consistent enforcement, punitive measures alone cannot curb systemic bullying.

A 2020 ASEAN study cited by Sayuti et al. found physical, psychological and cyberbullying were widespread across the region, indicating that current prevention strategies remain insufficient. Malaysia’s own regulatory framework stretches back to the Education (School Discipline) Regulations 1959, which restrict caning to the headmaster or authorised teacher and require privacy.

The Anti-Bullying Bill 2025 provides a dedicated tribunal but analysts say lasting change depends on day-to-day school leadership and staff capacity. The framework already includes the 2005 Management Guidebook for Dealing with Bullying in Schools and Parent Committees meant to bridge school and community.

The conceptual divide between punitive discipline and developmental approaches matters, according to Sire (2021). Developmental discipline aligns with the National Education Philosophy by fostering moral, emotional and social growth rather than merely punishing misconduct.

Yet data from Penang, a state often cited for progressive education initiatives, shows that even with expanded programmes the upward trend persists. The state’s integrated strategy—coordinated with police, NGOs and the Penang Women’s Development Corporation—has not reversed the rise.

The ministry acknowledges the gap between policy design and implementation. The persistence of bullying points to the need for systematic supervision, stronger teacher capacity in behaviour management and improved counselling support, according to the state education department’s findings.

Analysts say the next step is aligning the tribunal’s legal powers with consistent school-level execution. Without that link, even new laws risk becoming symbolic rather than effective, they argue.

Related: Penang

Reporting based on Penang Institute. Figures and claims are subject to revision as the story develops. DomainFork publishes editorial context, not investment advice — see our editorial standards.