DESPITE recent media headlines highlighting a surge in school bullying cases in Malaysia, the country is not the highest in the ASEAN region, according to international and local data.
Analysis of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) places the Philippines as the ASEAN country with the highest exposure to bullying, both regionally and globally.
Dr. Abdul Rahman Ahmad Badayai, coordinator of PsiTra at the National University of Malaysia (UKM), explained that the PISA 2022 study measured bullying exposure based on reports from 15-year-old students over the previous 12 months, encompassing verbal, physical, and relational bullying.
"The Philippines leads with 76.6 per cent of students reporting at least one incident of bullying, 34.5 per cent experiencing it at least once a week, and 36 per cent falling into the top 10 per cent globally for bullying exposure," he said.
In contrast, Malaysia recorded lower figures, though still above the OECD average in some indicators.
"Ten per cent of Malaysian students reported verbal bullying, such as classmates spreading harmful rumours, at least a few times a month—higher than the OECD average of seven per cent, but below the Philippines at 15 per cent," he said.
By this measure, Malaysia ranks second in ASEAN, followed by Indonesia (9 per cent), Thailand (6 per cent), and Singapore (5 per cent).
Abdul Rahman noted that self-reporting in Malaysia could be influenced by cultural norms such as shyness, which may lead to underreporting.
Government data from the Ministry of Education indicated 7,681 cases reported in 2024, though the true prevalence is likely higher.
He highlighted progress over time, noting that the rate of verbal bullying in Malaysia fell from 17 per cent in 2018 to 10 per cent in 2022, yet remains above the global average.
Other studies present slightly different perspectives.
The 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) recorded a 56 per cent prevalence of bullying among Malaysian Form Two students, the fourth highest among 45 participating countries, surpassing Singapore’s 38 per cent.
Abdul Rahman cautioned that TIMSS comparisons in ASEAN are limited, as only Malaysia and Singapore were included.
Regional figures from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) indicate an average ASEAN prevalence of approximately 23 per cent, with Indonesia at 20.7 per cent, while Malaysia’s data were not specified.
"Overall, despite an apparent increase in reported bullying cases in Malaysia, the country is not the highest in ASEAN based on the latest research and official data," he concluded.
"The Philippines remains at the top, with Malaysia ranking second or third depending on the indicator used."
The front page of Harian Metro recently reported a near 98 per cent increase in school bullying cases in Malaysia over the past two years, a figure that Dr. Abdul Rahman contextualised against international benchmarks. - November 28, 2025
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