Cyberbullying on the rise among Malaysian children, teens

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) – About four years ago, Malaysian Internet users made headlines around the world for their bold stance against Israel, most notably through the hashtag #IsraelKoyak.

Nicknamed the “Bawang Army”, they not only circulated posters condemning the Zionist regime following bombings in Palestine but also flooded the social media pages of the Israeli Defence Forces, earning praise from the global community.

However, behind this display of bravery and unity lies a darker side of Malaysian internet users — those who have used social media platforms to bully others, a trend that has become increasingly concerning, reports ANN.

Their targets have not been just ordinary individuals or local celebrities but international athletes as well. Among them was Japanese cyclist Shinji Nakano, who was bombarded with abusive comments after being accused of deliberately causing Malaysian cyclist Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom to miss out on a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

What was alarming was that this toxic behaviour appeared to be “infecting” children and adolescents in the country. This group of young and inexperienced social media users has not only targeted their peers but has also brazenly bullied older persons.

Often under the guise of joking, these taunts were hurled without compassion or empathy for the feelings of those on the receiving end. 

“My friends made fun of my photo on TikTok. They commented on my skin, saying I looked as dark as charcoal. I felt so ashamed,” said Saffiya (not her real name), a 12-year-old pupil.

She said the incident, which happened last year, shattered her self-confidence. It left her feeling depressed, unwilling to go to school, distancing herself from friends, fearful of using her phone and frequently crying when alone.

Thankfully, she had parents and teachers who were attentive to the changes in her behaviour. She was taken to see a counsellor, while the bullies were given a stern warning.

According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Malaysia ranked second in Asia for cyberbullying among youths, behind China. On a global scale, the country was ranked fifth after Peru, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, reflecting the seriousness of the issue in Malaysia.

A study conducted last year by Ipsos revealed that nearly 47% of parents knew at least one child in their community who had been a victim of cyberbullying. One in four parents believed their child had experienced online bullying.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reported receiving 8,339 complaints related to cyberbullying — an average of 27 cases per day — between January and Nov 1 last year.

Deep impact

Commenting on the issue, Dr Mohd Nazir Mohd Nazori, a senior lecturer at the Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, said bullying is an act done repeatedly with the intention of instilling fear, anger or sadness in the victim.

“Cyberbullying is more dangerous because the use of digital technology allows embarrassing information or images to spread widely and remain online indefinitely,” he said.

He added that among the factors that lead teenagers to become bullies were peer pressure and a desire to fit in with like-minded groups. “Many of their actions are driven by group conformity… they just follow what the group is doing and rarely use their own judgment to assess whether what they’re doing is right or wrong,” he said.

According to the health education expert, bullies often presented a different persona in front of their parents compared to when they engaged in cyberbullying.