In Part 1 of this series, we confronted the horror, heartbreak, and public outrage following the recent cases of violence and school bullying here in Malaysia. In Part 2, we look beyond the grief — at the conversations, workshops, and quiet courage of teachers and parents trying to heal a wounded system. From the UNITAR–JPN mental-health session to real stories from classrooms and homes, this is where empathy meets action.
School bullying has long crossed the line from childish cruelty to a national crisis. As a mother of four sons — two of whom are neurodiverse — and as a journalist, I can no longer read these stories with newsroom detachment. Every headline feels like a wound. Tears flow when I am writing this.
The education ministry came under fire for mentioning “kafir” that upset many non-Muslims in the country. But that, alongside another K word that get the Malaysian Indians’ knickers twisted, would be less offensive if the context is understood properly.
The recent call for boycott of KK Mart for selling socks with kalimah Allah revealed the need for another round of clarion call on the need for cultural sensitivity and tolerance when events like this could have been avoided in the first place.