POLITICAL leaders from across the political divide have called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the death of a 14-year-old student in Kuala Pilah, amid an allegation that he may have been a victim of bullying.
The calls came from UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) vice-president Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Jidin and Wawasan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah following the death of Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril.
Asyraf, in a Facebook post yesterday, said he was saddened by the student’s death and called for firm action if the bullying allegation was substantiated.
“I am deeply saddened and affected by the news of the death of the late Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril, who was alleged to have been a victim of bullying. It must be investigated immediately and transparently, and firm action must be taken!” he said.
Mohd Radzi, in a post on Threads, also called on the authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure justice for the student and his family.
“My condolences to the entire family of the late Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril.
“Regarding the allegation that the deceased was a victim of bullying, the authorities must conduct a thorough investigation in the interest of justice for the deceased and his family,” he said.
Saifuddin said the Government, particularly the Education Ministry, must not treat bullying as an ordinary disciplinary issue.
He said reports of the student’s death, which was believed to have a possible link to an incident involving physical assault, were deeply distressing and shocking.
“I extend my condolences to the victim’s family. Losing a child under such circumstances is an extremely heavy tragedy for any family to bear,” he said in a statement.
However, Saifuddin stressed that investigations were still ongoing and the actual cause of death had yet to be determined by the authorities.
“Although the investigation is still ongoing and the actual cause of death must be determined by the authorities, this incident once again raises serious questions about the level of safety of students in schools,” he said.
“When bullying involves physical violence resulting in serious injury or loss of life, it must be treated as a serious matter requiring firm action,” he said.
Muhammad Idlan Fareeq was found unconscious at a school hostel before being pronounced dead at Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Najihah (HTAN) on Friday night.
The Gemencheh student was the eldest of three siblings and was in Form Two.
Kuala Pilah district police chief Superintendent Muhamad Mustafah Hussin confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.
“The post-mortem will be conducted at Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar (HTJ), Seremban,” he said.
Saifuddin said schools should be the safest places for children to learn and not environments where they were exposed to violence and bullying.
The Education Ministry has previously introduced measures to strengthen school safety and address bullying, including an anonymous complaint mechanism and revised standard operating procedures for bullying and sexual misconduct.
Almost a year ago, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the ministry was also working on an Anti-Bullying Bill through a tribunal system, while safety audits had been conducted at 735 schools nationwide.
Ministry data showed that 7,681 bullying cases then were recorded in schools nationwide in 2024, compared with 6,528 cases in 2023. Of the 2024 cases, 5,689 involved secondary schools and 1,992 involved primary schools.
Earlier this week, the anti-bullying tribunal established in June received 55 complaints as of Sept 22, with five cases already decided, including one in which a bully was ordered to pay RM2,000 in damages, Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said said.
She said the five cases were resolved through various awards, including orders for bullies to apologise to their victims and undergo counselling.
“These measures show that the tribunal is punishment-oriented but also focuses on the rehabilitation of victims and the perpetrators’ behaviour,” she said in a statement.
Azalina said the Anti-Bullying Act 2026 and the tribunal provided a dedicated mechanism for addressing bullying through a restorative approach that was faster and more cost-effective, while placing greater emphasis on protecting and rehabilitating victims. - September 26, 2026
