Students remain reluctant to report bullying because school complaint boxes are often placed in visible areas, raising fears that their anonymity may be compromised.
Parliament’s Special Select Committee on Women and Children Affairs and Social Development chairman, Yeo Bee Yin, said this was among the concerns highlighted by students during the “Suara Rakyat: Tanggungjawab Kita” town hall held at the Parliament building today.
“Students told us that although complaint boxes allow anonymous reporting, many are placed too openly, making them hesitant to use them,” Yeo told reporters after the session.
Also present were committee deputy chairman Rodziah Ismail; members Dr Halimah Ali (Kapar), Mordi Bimol (Mas Gading); and Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Children’s Commissioner, Dr Farah Nini Dusuki.
Yeo said the committee will recommend relocating complaint boxes to ensure privacy and encourage more students to come forward.
“They stressed the importance of confidentiality. Students place a high value on their privacy, and we must take this seriously when developing future guidelines,” she added.
Yeo noted that current anti-bullying guidelines do not sufficiently prioritise privacy, and the committee aims to propose stronger protections moving forward.
Feedback from the town hall will be compiled and submitted to the government and the Education Ministry as part of efforts to strengthen anti-bullying measures in schools nationwide.
The Puchong MP said the committee will prepare a report based on the issues raised, which will be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.
“We hope to table it during this sitting. If not, then in the next session,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rodziah said many students spoke candidly about their experiences.
“Their concerns came straight from the heart. For instance, they expressed feeling unsafe with the idea of retired police or military personnel serving as wardens. Their points were genuine and based on real experiences,” she said.
Rodziah added that although students understood the standard operating procedures for reporting bullying, they lacked confidence in the system.
“They don’t trust that it works. We need to strengthen the system, clarify the roles of teachers, and ensure complaints are handled effectively.”
She also suggested introducing multiple reporting channels and a better system of checks and balances to help students feel heard and supported.
