Reality check for universities

IT’S time for us to change our mindset and attitude when it comes to bullying. Many people were shocked last week by the tragic death of cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.

The 21-year-old Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia student died at Serdang Hospital on Thursday where he had been admitted with bruises and burns on his body. It is believed he was physically abused. There is no single legal definition of bullying. It can be defined as a repetitive behaviour which is intended to hurt someone either emotionally or physically, and is often aimed at certain people because of religion, race, gender or sexual orientation or any other aspect such as appearance or even disability.

There are various reasons why bullying in universities goes unchecked and unreported. It might be because the university managers have failed to take the issue seriously and didn’t take any steps to tackle the issue.

Another reason is because students often do not trust the university authorities to take proper action in disciplinary cases.

Zulfarhan Osman’s death must spark total change in our perception and how we deal with bullying in universities. Students should know there are various channels for them to seek help. They can talk to family members, close friends, university counsellors, lecturers, tutors and their student representatives. They can also approach any member of the university staff that they feel comfortable talking with.

The time has come for universities to take steps to end bullying in their institutions. The managers must come out with holistic plans and strategies to deal with the issue so that the students can study and enjoy their time at the university in a safe and respectful learning environment.

Dr Muzaffar Syah Mallow Senior Lecturer Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia