PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has cautioned schools against covering up bullying incidents in a bid to protect their image, saying such actions amount to an injustice against victims who are denied proper protection and redress.
Anwar said bullying cases, regardless of their number, must not be dismissed as isolated incidents as such behaviour could occur in any school without exception.
“I am very concerned when I was informed during the Cabinet meeting about cases of bullying in schools.
“The number may not be large, but this matter cannot be taken lightly because it can happen in all schools without exception.
“If many cases remain unknown, it may be because there are principals or teachers who try to protect them so that negative perceptions about the school do not arise. Ultimately, the victims are the students who are being abused,” he said.
Anwar was speaking during the opening ceremony of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin in Bukit Mertajam.
He stressed that developing students’ character and moral values was not solely the responsibility of teachers, but required the collective involvement of parents, the community and students themselves.
The Prime Minister said a bullying culture must be addressed as it contradicted the fundamental objectives of the education system, which seeks to produce a generation that is knowledgeable, ethical and possesses strong values.
He added that schools must remain safe environments where students can learn, grow and develop without fear of intimidation or abuse. - July 25, 2026
