Asyraf Wajdi: 'Bullying is a crime' campaign must start now
He said strict punishment must be enforced regardless of a person's background.
"If someone is involved, firm action must be taken. Bullying victims inevitably suffer severe trauma—whether physical, mental, verbal, or cyber in nature.
"This vicious cycle—this chain of violence and bullying—must be broken. You touch, you go," he said in a video posted on Facebook.
His statement came following the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, who reportedly fell from the third floor of a school hostel in Sabah.
The case has been linked to allegations of bullying among students at the school.
Asyraf said the effort must begin immediately and involve all parties—from schools, teachers, administrators, and the school environment to parents and media influences, which have been identified as contributing factors.
He added that it is crucial to instil the values of love and compassion in every student.
"If these values are not instilled in students, how can we expect to nurture a caring generation?
"Even worse, we may end up producing future leaders who lack moral values—people willing to exploit and oppress others simply because they have grown accustomed to a culture of bullying.
"Remember, bullying is a crime."
Yesterday, the Education Ministry said it is working closely with the police to investigate the death of Zara Qairina.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry would extend full cooperation to the authorities and that investigators must be allowed to carry out their work without interference.
"The incident is currently being investigated by the police. The ministry will extend its full cooperation to the authorities," she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Police deny involvement of children of VIPs in Zara Qairina's death
KOTA KINABALU: Neither the state governor's family nor the children of any VIPs were involved in the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir, says police. Papar OCPD Supt Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka stated that although these speculations have been circulating recently, investigations have found no supporting evidence. 'We advise the public to refrain from making any speculations that can disrupt our investigation,' he said in a statement, Friday (Aug 1). Supt Kamaruddin assured the public that investigations were being carried out thoroughly, transparently, and justly. Zara, a Form One student, had died after she was believed to have fallen off her hostel in SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar, on July 16. There are many speculations surrounding her death, which some believe were a result of bullying.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Action taken against student who punched teacher in Kajang, says Education Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry will not compromise with any misconduct involving school staff, including the recent incident of a student hitting a teacher in Kajang, Selangor. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said she had taken note of the incident and was informed that it happened due to a misunderstanding between the students involved. "Quick action has been taken. Four students involved have been detained by the police to assist in the investigation. "The Education Ministry will not compromise with this misconduct and will take firm action based on the results of the police investigation," she said in a Facebook post on Friday (Aug 1). She also instructed the school and the District Education Office to implement intervention programs to ensure the safety and well-being of the school community. "I ask the school and the district education office to implement intervention programs to ensure the safety and well-being of students, teachers, and the entire school community," she said. Previously, a video went viral on social media showing a male student allegedly punching and threatening his teacher in an incident at a secondary school here on July 28. — Bernama
New Straits Times
9 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Zara's family requests an inquest
KOTA KINABALU: The family of Zara Qairina Mahathir is requesting for an inquest to determine the cause of her death. The family's lawyers said Zara's mother had lodged a police report on July 30, and, among others, requested that Zara's body be exhumed for a post mortem so that the inquest can be held urgently. Lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri said they have sent a letter to the Attorney-General's department in Kota Kinabalu requesting that they exercise their powers under Section 339(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to direct a magistrate to hold an inquest to determine the cause of Zara's death. "We hope the Attorney-General's department will agree to our request, so that police can conclude their investigations. "We also categorically deny all allegations that Zara's death was caused by her mother. These allegations are false and constitute malicious defamation against our client. "There is no 'a twist in the plot' in this case," the lawyers said in a statement.
