Parents May Be Held Legally Accountable If Their Child Commits Acts Of Bullying
The new provision incorporates an element of shared responsibility that may bind family members.
- 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.
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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-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.
Anti-Bullying Tribunal established due to alarming rise in bullying cases
Azalina announced the new law after officiating the launch of the Anti-Bullying Tribunal headquarters at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), which was also attended by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajid Dusuki last Tuesday (16 June).
She said the tribunal was formed due to a worrying rise in bullying cases which have led to serious consequences including incidents that resulted in deaths.
“We want to raise awareness among children about the seriousness of bullying and the fact that action can be taken through this channel. They must not regard bullying as a trivial matter,” she said.
As many as 56 tribunal members comprising of legal experts and specialists in child-related fields have been appointed to handle cases referred to the tribunal.
The tribunal will operate from AIAC but proceedings may be conducted from anywhere in the country
According to Azalina, the tribunal headquarters will operate from the AIAC. However, proceedings may be conducted nationwide including at schools, Legal Aid Department offices, or online.
Six physical and virtual hearing zones have been created nationally to increase access to justice by making the most of already-existing facilities under the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU), the Insolvency Department, the Legal Aid Bureau, and vacant courtrooms.
According to her, victims are also entitled to file complaints directly with the Anti-Bullying Tribunal in the event that incidents take place off school or dormitory grounds, bypassing the administration of the relevant institution.
The tribunal has also created a public portal that enables cases to be registered online at https://tab.bheuu.gov.my/ in order to streamline the registration of complaints.
Kenyataan Media YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Undang-Undang dan Reformasi Institusi) sempena Majlis Pelancaran Tribunal Antibuli. [Admin] #YBAOS #MalaysiaMADANI #MADANIBekerja #YakinMADANI #GenerasiTanpaBuli pic.twitter.com/Z05o5Loyce
— Azalina Othman Said (@AzalinaOthmanS) June 16, 2026
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