School Transfers Incentives Won T Address Root Cause Of Bullying Govt Must Tackle School Bullies Directly

---

 
BELIAWANIS MCA said while an earlier suggestion that victims of bullying should be allowed to transfer to another school is well-intentioned, it is not a proper solution as it fails to address the core of the problem, which is the perpetrators themselves.
Its chairperson Ivone Low Yi Wen was responding to Sarawak DAP Youth treasurer Wong King Yii who, on Aug 19, had criticised Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s offer of incentives to schools if they can show a perfect record of zero-bullying cases.
The DAP Youth leader had also called on the Education Ministry to take action on bullying reports filed via the Aduan Buli portal and for the police to be called in for cases involving physical assault.
“Beliawanis MCA notes that DAP Sarawak Youth’s concerns over school bullying echo a shared, bipartisan objective: to eliminate bullying in schools. This is a universal issue that transcends politics and affects students globally,” Low said.
“However, we note with caution the suggestion made by Wong that victims of bullying should be allowed to transfer to another school. While well-intentioned, this measure is already permitted under existing policies and procedures.
“However, this is not a proper solution as it fails to address the core of the problem: the perpetrators themselves.
“Allowing victims to transfer simply relocates the trauma. The bullies remains in the same environment and may quickly identify new targets, perpetuating a harmful cycle.”
Low stressed that the focus must shift from moving victims away to actively stopping bullies and preventing would-be bullies through concrete disciplinary action, support systems within schools, confidentiality hotlines and even requiring police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)  intervention, action and charges for assault and cyberbullying cases respectively.
She said in fact, this suggestion is only a marginal improvement over Fadhlina’s recent, widely criticised proposal to reward schools with a “zero-bullying records”.
“Both approaches fail to tackle the root causes of bullying and may instead encourage cover-ups or silence victims,” Low remarked.
“Furthermore, the practicality of school transfers is questionable. In many areas, especially rural or semi-urban regions, there may be no nearby alternative schools. “Even if there is another school, it may belong to a different educational stream—vernacular or national—posing language and curricular challenges. Additionally, limited capacity in other schools may render transfers unfeasible, leaving victims with no realistic options.”
According to Low, the path forward requires more than symbolic gestures or reactive measures, and urged the Education Ministry to prioritise systemic reforms, namely to enforce anti-bullying policies, strengthen counsellor deployment, implement restorative justice approaches, and ensure strict accountability for school administrators who fail to act.
“Only by confronting bullying head-on, rather than displacing it, can we restore student trust and ensure a genuinely safe and supportive learning environment for all,” she added.
Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir was found unconscious at 4am on July 16 after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school’s hostel in Papar, Sabah. She died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu the following day.
Her body was exhumed on Aug 9 to allow for a post-mortem amid allegations of bullying.
On Wednesday (Aug 20), five teenage girls were charged at the Kota Kinabalu Juvenile Court with using abusive words against the 13-year-old Zara Qairina.
According to the charge sheet, the five, acting with common intention, allegedly uttered abusive words directed at Zara Qairina, which were heard by the victim and could have caused her distress. ‒   Focus Malaysia

---