KUALA LUMPUR: The management in all education systems must take responsibility in putting a stop to the culture of bullying.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said bullying is happening at all levels of education and in various institutions be it primary and secondary schools as well as higher learning institutions.
He said this must be stopped to prevent any further harm to students.
He was speaking briefly to reporters after attending the Temu Anwar Dialogue programme at the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM).
"That is a matter for the police (on the recent bully case at UPNM)… I am giving general advice on what is happening in schools, secondary schools, Maahad Tahfiz schools, and vernacular schools—this must be stopped.
"Headmasters, principals, vice-chancellors and college heads must also take responsibility for finding ways to put an end to this harmful culture.
"There have been far too many complaints that have surfaced on social media, but this must stop, as it is causing harm to our children," he said.
In his dialogue earlier, Anwar said the government would not tolerate any form of bullying in the country's education systems.
This, he said as the issue of bullying has become rampant due to parties adopting a permissive stance towards it.
On Wednesday, the armed forces said it had launched an investigation into another bullying case at UPNM involving a second-year cadet officer at the Military Training Academy (ALK).
The cadet was allegedly bullied and abused by a senior officer using a heated iron, which reportedly left burn marks on his chest.
This is the second case involving the same method of abuse at UPNM in seven years.
In 2017, the country was shocked by the tragic death of UPNM cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who died from being bullied, beaten, and tortured, with most of his body repeatedly pressed with a steam iron.
Six former UPNM students were sentenced to death by hanging by the Court of Appeal for Zulfarhan's murder.