Written by Fatin Ismail
On 3 December 2025, Malaysia’s House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) passed the Anti Bully Bill 2025 (‘the Bill’). The Bill aims to provide mechanisms to address complaints of bullying as well as prevention and management of bullying cases. The Bill also provides for the establishment of a Tribunal for Anti-Bully as well as to raise awareness of bullying and the prevention of bullying.
The approach provided for in the Bill is mainly preventative in nature. This is due to the fact that responsibility for children’s behaviour should also lie with parents and it cannot be entirely placed on schools, teachers or other institutions.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, clarified that the Bill is aimed to apply to those aged 18 and below, for the time being. With further study to be conducted for extending the scope to include those aged 18 and above in the year 2026.
The Bill contains 54 sections in total, split into 9 parts with two schedules. The full Bill can be accessed here.
Several key parts to be highlighted are:
Part II – Bully: Acts and definition
Bully means any wilful act directed at a victim by any means, whether committed repeatedly or in a single severe incident which cause physical, psychological or social harm to the victim.
It may include:
- An act that causes physical harm to the victim or their belongings;
- Use of language which abuses, threatens or demeans a victim, causing harm to the victims psychological wellbeing
- An act intended to socially isolate, damage a reputation or create a hostile environment for the victim
- An act that humiliates or discriminates a victim
- The above acts 2-4 committed through electronic or digital communication.
Part VII – Tribunal for Anti Bully
The Tribunal, known as the “Tribunal for Anti-bully” consists of members to be appointed by the Minister, and shall hold office for a three year term. The members may be reappointed only for another consecutive term. The Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and determine any bullying complaints made.
One notable section is hearings by electronic means where the Tribunal may conduct hearings by electronic means if the Tribunal considers it appropriate to do so. In addition, the Tribunal may hear and determine a complaint, notwithstanding the absence of any party, provided that it is proven that notice of a hearing has been duly served on the absent party.
Awards shall be made by the Tribunal without delay and where practicable, within sixty days from the commencement of the first day of hearing.
Criminal Penalties
The Bill also provides for a criminal penalty for those who fail to comply with the award of the Tribunal:
- Where damages is ordered by the Tribunal, a fine double the amount of compensation or damages or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both; OR
- Where no damages is ordered by the tribunal, a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years, or to both.
For continuing offences, in addition to the penalties above, a fine not exceeding RM1,000 for each day or part of day in which the offence continues after conviction.
Duties of educational institution and institutions
In general, educational institutions and institutions have the duty to, amongst others:
- Establish and maintain committees to prevent and manage bullying cases
- Implement policies, guidelines and procedures
- Establish accessible and child-sensitive channel, complying with confidentiality of information for students to report bullying
- Providing counselling services and psychological support
- Provide training to prevent and manage bullying
- Achieve standard of compliance as may be determined.
Conclusion
This Bill is a clear commitment to ensuring the safety and safeguarding children, particularly in schools and other institutions within Malaysia. It is seen as a great step in preventing harm to the next generation and to “nip things in the bud” for a healthier future.
Published on 11 December 2025