The Sarawak Social Development Council (MPS) will set up the Sarawak Bullying Management Committee (SBMC) to strengthen prevention, intervention, and monitoring of bullying through a systematic, integrated, and multi-agency approach.
Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the committee will be chaired by the ministry’s permanent secretary, with members drawn from the Education Department, police, Welfare Department, Health Department, Sarawak Multimedia Authority, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, non-governmental organisations, mental health experts, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), as well as parents and community representatives.
Speaking after chairing an MPS meeting on Tuesday, Fatimah said the establishment of SBMC reflects the Sarawak government’s strong commitment to protecting children and adolescents, strengthening community resilience, and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and violence-free environment for all children.
She said the initiative aligns with Sarawak’s Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in safeguarding vulnerable groups and promoting holistic human development.
In 2024, Sarawak recorded 166 bullying cases, with 126 cases reported up to Nov 30 this year. Fatimah said all cases were handled in line with the Ministry of Education’s Circular No. 12 of 2023, which outlines guidelines for managing bullying misconduct in educational institutions.
She added that reporting channels include the SISPAA Bullying Complaints Portal, school discipline complaint boxes, the Mental Health Excellence Centre’s 15555 helpline, and the Kasih 15999 hotline.
Various prevention and intervention programmes have also been implemented at the school level, including character ambassador initiatives, anti-bullying campaigns, speaker corner sessions, counselling support, and continuous monitoring, particularly in boarding schools.
Fatimah also highlighted several key achievements by MPS this year, including the completion of a study on ageing in Sarawak to support future policy planning, the establishment of social support facilities in Kuching, Subis, and Sibu, and the implementation of 180 integrated social intervention programmes. She said these initiatives will be expanded in 2026 to ensure broader and more sustainable impact across Sarawak.
