THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Parents May Be Held Legally Accountable If Their Child Commits Acts Of ... The new provision incorporates an element of shared responsibility that may bind family members. by Shahril Bahrom June 18, 2026 In Brief The Anti-Bullying Act 2026 holds parents legally responsible for their child's bullying, including sharing liability for fines and penalties imposed. An Anti-Bullying Tribunal was established due to an alarming rise in bullying cases, some of which have resulted in deaths. Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter , or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. A new law under the Anti-Bullying Act 2026, which introduces the concept of shared family responsibility, will hold parents legally responsible for acts of bullying committed by their children. According to Bernama , Minister in the Prime Ministers’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the provision is one of several key reforms under the Act, which extends accountabilty for bullying misconduct beyond the perpetrator to family members. The approach is slightly different from most criminal offences, which usually involves only the offender, whereas the Anti-Bu…

Is your child bullying others? New law makes parents legally ... KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Parents may now be held legally liable for acts of bullying committed by their children under the Anti-Bullying Act 2026, which introduces the concept of shared family responsibility. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the provision is among the key reforms under the Act, extending accountability for bullying misconduct beyond the perpetrator to family members. She said the approach differs from most criminal offences, which typically involve only the offender. In contrast, the Anti-Bullying Act incorporates an element of shared responsibility that may bind family members, including in relation to the payment of fines imposed. “Under this Act, we have included a clause on parental responsibility. As such, matters such as the payment of fines and related penalties will also be binding on the family. We are transferring liability, or imposing joint liability, on the family,” she said. She told reporters this after officiating the launch of the Anti-Bullying Tribunal headquarters at the Asian International Arbitratio…

Malaysian parents welcome new anti-bullying law Malaysian parents welcome new anti-bullying law Sign up now: Get insights on the biggest stories in Malaysia The new law came into effect on June 16 in an effort to tackle the problem that affected some 3,000 students in Malaysia in 2025. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY Published Jun 19, 2026, 08:39 PM Updated Jun 19, 2026, 09:07 PM Listen KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian parents and education groups welcomed on June 19 a new anti-bullying law and the launch of a dedicated tribunal, but urged caution over a clause that could hold parents responsible for their children’s actions. The new law came into effect on June 16 in an effort to tackle the problem that affected some 3,000 students in the South-east Asian nation in 2025, according to government figures. “We welcome the Act because it places children’s well-being at the centre and recognises that bullying has serious emotional, psychological and educational consequences,” said Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim of the Parent Action Group for Education in Malaysia. A 2023 study by the Dutch-based International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement found that Malaysia had one of the hi…

Parents in Malaysia now liable if their children bully others Malaysia has one of the highest rates of bullying in the world and new anti-bullying laws aim to tackle the problem.

Parents can be held jointly liable for bullying tribunal awards, says ... KUALA LUMPUR: Parents of children found responsible for bullying may also be held jointly liable under Malaysia’s new anti-bullying law, with financial penalties and tribunal awards extending to families, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the Anti-Bullying Act differs from conventional criminal laws by placing responsibility not only on the perpetrator, but also on parents and guardians. “If you look at the Act, we have placed responsibility on parents as well. “That is the difference between this law and ordinary criminal cases, where liability is placed only on the perpetrator,” she told reporters after the launch of the Anti-Bullying Tribunal on Tuesday (June 16). “Under the Anti-Bullying Act, we have included clauses on responsibility. Issues involving the payment of fines and other penalties will also bind the family. “We have transferred liability, or joint liability, to the family as well,” she added. Azalina said the provision reflected the government’s broader approach to tackling bullying, which it views as a beh…

Clearer SOPs and accountability needed to combat bullying KUALA LUMPUR: Lawmakers from both sides of the divide want the government to outline concrete steps to address the issue of bullying following the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir. During the 13th Malaysia Plan debates, Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) wan­ted to know what were the standard operating procedures and what type of enforcement was conducted in schools, especially at boarding schools, to curb bullying. She also asked the Education Ministry to explain the type of punishment that will be imposed on bullies, regardless of their background. Siti Zailah, who was former Deputy Women, Family and Com­munity Development Minis­ter, questioned the strategies that will be taken by the government to restore parents’ confidence in the education system on the safety in schools and hostels. “We are now witnessing a silent rejection of the boarding school system by parents who no longer trust the safety of their children in these institutions,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH-­Setia­wangsa) said while he welcomed the government’s commitment for a transparent probe, …