Alor setar: The number of bullying cases involving school students in Kedah rose to 43 last year compared with 10 cases recorded in 2024. Kedah Police Chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said this represented a sharp increase of 33 cases, or 330 per cent, a figure that was rather alarming.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, of the total cases, 32 occurred in secondary schools, nine in primary schools, and two involved private schools. During the same period, 31 bullies were arrested, and 11 of them have been charged in court. Datuk Adzli Abu Shah emphasized that there is no protection for any criminal act, even if the perpetrator is a minor or a school student. The law will be enforced without compromise.

Meanwhile, Adzli also addressed rape cases involving underage victims, noting that throughout last year, 90 rape cases were recorded in Kedah, with 78 cases occurring in secondary schools and 12 involving primary school pupils. The situation is extremely worrying and must be addressed seriously. Investigations revealed that the majority of these rape cases involved school students and were closely linked to social problems and moral decay, including factors such as unsupervised free mixing, abuse of trust, and negligence in observing social boundaries.

Adzli urged that every student must understand that no one has the right to touch, coerce, or take advantage of them, whether physically, emotionally, or through social media. Students should not remain silent and must report immediately to teachers, parents, guardians, or Education Department officers so that action can be taken.