(Adobe photo/Satjawat)
By Joseph and Anita Pragasam
Apr 30 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – To foster a secure environment for children, teenagers, and adults alike, society must unite in discouraging bullying. This was the over arching message delivered at an awareness talk The Effects of Bullying, organised by the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) on Apr 6.
Held at Dewan Volle, Church of the Assumption, the day-long talk was attended by approximately 75 participants and featured four speakers – Emmanuel Dorai, Brian Dorai, Nicholas Chan and Fr Gregory Chan.
The first speaker, Emmanuel Dorai, a retired disciplinary teacher from Penang, defined bullying as the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person by another person or group. He emphasised that bullying can be physical, verbal, or psychological, and can occur face-to-face or online. Emmanuel highlighted an increase in reported bullying cases in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the Education Ministry.
He further explained the procedures taken when a bullying case is reported in school, emphasising that authorities take such incidents seriously. After determining that bullying has occurred, a minimum of three working days is given for the incident to be investigated and appropriate action to be taken, followed by a full report to the State Education Department.
Brian Dorai, a psychologist and senior lecturer at INTI Education Group in Penang, spoke about bullying at different levels, including in colleges, universities, and workplaces. He explained that victims of bullying, even among “friends,” experience profound insecurity, leading to poor self-esteem, constant fear, and vigilance. He stressed the mental and emotional impact on victims, who often feel unaccepted, isolated, angry, and withdrawn.
Brian shared steps victims can take, such as staying calm, not letting hurtful words affect them, telling perpetrators to stop, walking away, and seeking the company of other friends. He underscored the importance of victims seeking help from parents, teachers, or the Human Resource Department at work, rather than suffering in silence.
Nicholas Chan, an International Professional Peak Performance and Management Consultant, discussed the rise of cyberbullying, noting its insidious nature due to anonymity on social media. He highlighted statistics showing that nearly 42 per cent of kids have been bullied online, with almost one in four experiencing repeated bullying. Nicholas warned of the negative emotional impact on teenagers, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies, emphasising the need for vigilance.
Fr Gregory Chan, a former lawyer and current parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Klang, focused on the legal aspects of bullying. He cited the Laws of Malaysia Act 792 – Sexual Offences Against Children Act of 2017 and a UKM research paper, defining bullying from a legal standpoint and discussing penalties and charges. Fr Gregory, the priest-delegate for the Professional Standards Office Committee for Child Protection also addressed sexual grooming of children, urging parents and guardians to be vigilant.
Participants, including parents, single adults, and children from the parishes of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, found the programme highly informative. Francis, Jasmine, and their four children from Our Lady of Guadalupe, Puchong parish, found the programme enriching, gaining useful information and insights. Jasmine praised the speakers, saying, “Good and motivating speakers gave us useful information and insights on bullying, even for us parents.”
Sixteen children from the Ozanam Home who participated, expressed that the presentations heightened their awareness of bullying and equipped them with strategies to prevent or seek help, if necessary.
The over arching message delivered by all speakers in this program underscores the parental responsibility to consistently educate children about the wrongness of bullying. Forms of bullying, such as body shaming, name-calling, and ostracising, were highlighted as detrimental behaviours. Left unaddressed, bullying can escalate and contribute to mental health challenges. Society must unite in discouraging bullying to foster a secure environment for children, teenagers, and adults alike.
Also present at the talk were AFLC’s ecclesiastical assistant, Fr Andrew Kooi and the Chair couple of the AFLC, Dato’ Dr Robert Basker and Datin Shelah.
Those seeking further information about the talk or wishing to arrange similar sessions may contact: Joseph (012 9696117) or Cornelius (018 228 9818) – Herald Malaysia
