‘National council chaired by DPM can discuss bullying’
KUALA LUMPUR: A discussion platform for bullying among youth at the National Social Council will enable ministries and agencies to come up with a solution for the menace.
Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation senior vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who is also a member of the council, said the plan to address bullying in the meeting showed that the government was serious about tackling the problem.
“The meeting is the most suitable forum to discuss social issues like bullying and abuse involving students and teenagers.
This is because the council consists of officials from ministries and agencies, including the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, Education Ministry, Health Ministry and police,” he told the New Straits Times.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim yesterday said bullying would be discussed at the meeting to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the end of the month.
Formed in 2013, the council’s role is to make policy decisions in regards to the direction of social development, identify and make decisions to solve strategic social development issues, and evaluate strategic social development programmes.
Lee said the council needed to identify the causes of bullying.
“We need to be committed to finding a solution as soon as we can,” said Lee.
“We can no longer wait as students have died from being bullied,” he said.
Lee said parents and teachers should educate children on what was right and wrong conduct.