KUALA LUMPUR: A former victim of bullying at a boarding school in the Klang Valley said he suffered physical injuries and emotional trauma after he entered the school as a Form One student.
The victim, who only wished to be known as Kamal, 36, said during the first week of entering the dormitory, there were no incidents of bullying but the bullying culture began soon after that.
"At that time, I thought it was just normal bullying because we (Form One students) were told to wash and iron the seniors' clothes, between five to six pieces a day, and sometimes up to 10 pieces. Although tired and stressed, I had no problem with this.
"However, the situation changed when a student in the room lost his wallet. We were woken up at 2am and dragged to a senior's room for questioning.
"When no one admitted to taking the wallet, we were asked to gather in the middle of the dormitory and they took turns to punch and kick us, one by one," said Kamal.
"If they read this article and feel that it refers to them, if they want to meet me, so be it. But as long as they don't apologise, I will not forgive them."
Kamal said during the incident, a senior slapped him until his lips bled.
"The block leader asked me if I had taken the wallet, which I answered I did not. He then slapped me and continued to the next student.
"Another senior came to us. I thought he was going to help us but instead, he proceeded to question us and slap us too.
"I remember looking down and seeing drops of blood. One of the seniors asked me to get out of the line and one of them passed me a tissue. When the bleeding stopped, they asked me to join the line again," he said.
He said he told his mother about the incident and reported the matter to the school authorities.
His decision to report the incident to the school authorities led to severe consequences, as he was ostracised and continued to be a target of ridicule and humiliation.
"After the report was made, my friends refused to talk or associate with me. They ignored me, and some even insulted me openly. The warden didn't care and blamed me when the complaint was made.
"Only the dorm supervisor helped me by speaking with my mother to make the report," he said.
As a result of the incident, his academic performance severely declined due to the emotional stress he experienced.
Kamal said he found it difficult to study, let alone ask his friends for help, as they refused to assist him.
"I could only endure for three weeks before deciding to transfer schools," he said.
He said the impact of the bullying made him afraid to meet people and made him feel weak.
"The decision to transfer to a school in Perak brought a new light to my life when a teacher named Ustazah Masyikah allowed me to be the host for an event.
"That small action helped me rebuild my self-confidence. I began to overcome the trauma, and now my job involves a lot of interactions with the public. I am very grateful to her," he said.
Coming from a military family, he also emphasised that his parents could not tolerate bullying, especially when it involved physical harm.
"Bullying should not be concealed just to protect the reputation of the school or any institution. Bullies become addicted to the power they feel they have. Just expel them, so this culture doesn't spread," he said.