UPNM BULLY CASE: ZAMBRY CALLS FOR REVIEW OF EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir recommended that the education ecosystem be re-examined to find an approach to deal with bullying cases linked to intake students for the Military Training Academy (ALK) at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM).

He said the case of a first year student who was believed to be stepped on by a senior resulting in a fractured rib and injuries to his spine involved recruitment under ALK.

"I have discussed with the Minister of Defence as the minister responsible over the matter in ALK and what steps the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) take together to ensure that this incidence does not happen again.

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"We need to be firm and actions need to be taken including legal action against the perpetrators," he said when met by reporters at the launch of Tun Abdul Razak's book 'Imagining Malaysia's Future Through His Lenses' here today.

He said KPT welcomes any form of suggestion and cooperation to ensure the safety of students including those under the control of ALK.

"I can't just take a hands-off approach because they are part of the students but its system is quite different," he said.

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Zambry said he has instructed all vice chancellors of universities to ensure that acts of bullying are monitored closely and to take immediate action against the perpetrators if there is such an incident.

"I want to emphasise that the government and KPT in particular will not tolerate any bullying in any institution of higher education and this is the policy we set.

"I have ordered (action) (against what) happened in ALK even though it is not under the supervision of UPNM and we do not want to take the approach of saying this is not within our jurisdiction, but the most important thing is that we need to be assertive in matters such as bullying ," he said.

Asked about the Member of Parliament for Muar, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who reportedly submitted an urgent motion to Parliament yesterday to find a thorough solution to the bullying issue that has shocked the country, Zambry said he would leave it to the Speaker of Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Johari Abdul.

"I leave it to the discretion of Dewan Rakyat Speaker to decide. I do not want to interfere because it is proposed to the Speaker of the House, so let him decide," he said.

On Sunday, the police confirmed that they are investigating an incident involving a 19-year-old UPNM student who was suspected of being stepped on by a third-year senior student of the university resulting in serious injuries to the rib and spine of the victim. 

Last month, another incident involved a case of bullying at the same university, with an ALK UPNM cadet officer was brought before the Sessions Court on charges of injuring his junior using a hot steam iron.

-- BERNAMA