KUALA LUMPUR: In the wake of a latest case of alleged abuse and bullying at a navy college, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim mentioned such incidents occur as a result of they’re tolerated and typically defended.
But in a strongly worded speech on Friday (Nov 1) at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), the place the newest incident allegedly came about, Anwar careworn that his authorities is not going to tolerate a tradition of bullying in instructional establishments.
He additionally urged schooling leaders to take accountability for placing an finish to the scourge.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) confirmed on Wednesday that it was absolutely investigating the case of an officer cadet who was allegedly bullied by his superior on the UPNM Military Training Academy in Kuala Lumpur.
The case has since gone viral on social media, and a few netizens have expressed concern as to why such bullying incidents proceed to happen on the college even after the tragic dying of a naval cadet in 2017, which was additionally linked to bullying.
Speaking on the dialogue occasion on Friday, Anwar mentioned the tradition of bullying has turn out to be systemic in Malaysia and this can be a problem that must be addressed by related establishments and ministries.
“It’s a small group that does not characterize all college students however the tradition permits for it… a tradition of delinquency, bullying and gangsterism in colleges.
“Whether it’s nationwide, Tamil, Chinese or spiritual colleges, it’s insanity as a result of we discuss data however not about morals and values,” he advised UPNM college students, as quoted by native media.
Anwar added that he had instructed Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to look into the matter.
“I advised the schooling minister, do not compromise. I warned her and suggested her to not tolerate this as a result of we do not need this to occur,” he mentioned.
The latest incident at UPNM that first surfaced on October 30 is claimed to have concerned a senior man allegedly urgent a scorching iron on the chest of a cadet officer, with images of the burn marks later circulating on social media.
“The armed forces take such issues critically and won’t defend anybody concerned within the case,” MAF protection drive chief Mohammad Ab Rahman advised Bernama on October 31.
Some netizens mentioned the newest UPNM case reminds them of the incident that led to the dying of 21-year-old naval cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain in 2017.
“It looks like the tradition of bullying with using iron is ingrained in UPNM… if (the college) had taken it critically, this would not have occurred once more,” mentioned consumer X @ chairmanGLC on October 31, with the submit garnering over 3,500 reposts.
In July this 12 months, six former UPNM college students have been sentenced to dying by hanging for Zulfarhan’s homicide seven years in the past.
According to native media, along with being repeatedly pressed on his physique with a scorching iron, Mr. Zulfarhan was additionally subjected to beatings, kicks and punches. The case dominated headlines, with one of many three judges describing it as one of many rarest and most excessive types of cruelty.
Mr Zulfarhan’s father had additionally expressed disappointment {that a} related type of abuse suffered by his late son had apparently occurred once more to a different pupil on the navy college.
“The declare that the sufferer was pressed with an iron… is unacceptable… like what occurred to my late son who had 90 marks from being pressed with a scorching iron, I can not nonetheless forgetting the struggling he needed to endure,” Zulkarnain Idros advised native media Harian Metro.
