By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 25: Seven students involved in a bullying incident at the National Youth Skills (IKBN) Miri have been suspended from their studies for one week starting yesterday (Sept 24).
In a TVS news report, Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh stated that the decision followed a meeting of the IKBN Student Disciplinary Board, which was convened to determine the appropriate action against the students involved.
“The IKBN Miri Student Disciplinary Board unanimously decided to impose several additional disciplinary measures on the students, including the immediate suspension of their allowances, mandatory community service, periodic reporting to a discipline officer, and a one-month restriction on outings.
“The students involved, and the victim, are also required to attend counselling sessions arranged by IKBN Miri,” she told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
On Sept 23, police confirmed that the Sept 19 incident was not bullying but a birthday prank that went too far. The victim, who was accompanied by his parents, withdrew the report after denying that he was bullied, while investigations by the institution also categorised the act as an “excessive prank”.
Yeoh stressed that the strict measures send a clear message that the ministry will not tolerate any form of misconduct, especially bullying, which endangers student safety and tarnishes the reputation of educational institutions.
The disciplinary action follows the circulation of a 13-second viral video showing a group of boys lifting an individual in a straddling position until he struck a pole.
In response, the ministry sent two senior officers, including Deputy Secretary-General (Strategic) Chan Hong Jin, to IKBN Miri to conduct an independent investigation, which included questioning the students involved.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, Yeoh said the Student Affairs Unit and teaching staff at IKBN Miri will increase monitoring, organise counselling sessions in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Health (MOH), and implement preventive programmes with the police.
Additionally, the unit will hold quarterly briefings and talks on bullying conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and expand complaint boxes to enable students to submit grievances or suggestions promptly.
“This decision is intended to serve as a deterrent and ensure such incidents do not occur again. We want to send a serious message because, without action, more complaints may arise under the guise of ‘prank’,” she emphasised.
Yeoh affirmed that the ministry is open to sharing its experience in tackling the case, stressing that bullying extends beyond schools to workplaces.
“I have also shared the latest development of this case with the Cabinet yesterday. As we know, the standard operating procedure (SOP) to comprehensively address bullying is currently being reviewed, with ongoing discussions between several ministers and the Chief Secretary to the government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar,” she added. — DayakDaily
