Anwar warns schools against hiding bullying, safety incidents

KUALA LUMPUR: Schools must not cover up bullying or safety incidents to protect their reputation at the expense of students, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said there had been instances where incidents were not reported because of concerns they could tarnish a school's image or affect its performance.

"Sometimes, these matters are covered up because they do not want the school's image to be affected.

"They want to maintain the school's performance and present a good report, while the children at the school feel abused and distressed about going to school.

"So, I agree with what the police have expressed — do not hide it," he said during Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQT) in the Dewan Rakyat.

Anwar said protecting a school's image should never take precedence over the safety and well-being of students.

"We hide things to protect the school's image, but we do not think about the child who is being harmed. That approach must change," he said.

He was responding to Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota), who cited a statement by the Inspector-General of Police urging schools not to conceal safety issues for the sake of their reputation.

Saifuddin said concealing such incidents could make it more difficult for police to respond effectively.

He also expressed concern over what he described as a lack of urgency and leadership in dealing with school safety cases.

Saifuddin cited previous cases in which explanations were allegedly delayed or questions raised by lawmakers were not adequately addressed.

He said members of parliament from both sides of the Dewan Rakyat were concerned about student safety and had previously put forward proposals to enhance school safety.

Their proposals include including improved standard operating procedures, CCTV coverage, entry and exit controls, additional counsellors and safety audits.

Anwar said he understood the concerns raised and agreed that urgency was necessary in addressing bullying and abuse in schools.

He said shortcomings should be acknowledged and lessons learned to ensure incidents involving students were dealt with swiftly and transparently.