Pasir puteh: Excessive joking among school students that leads to injuries can be considered a form of bullying and should be avoided, said the Kelantan State Education Department (Kelantan JPN) director Siti Norina Muhamad. She highlighted that actions often dismissed as mere jokes can have serious consequences for students if they result in undesirable outcomes.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Siti Norina emphasized the gravity of excessive joking leading to injuries, classifying it as a form of bullying. "Sometimes we consider joking as a habit and not something serious. However, I want to emphasise that excessive joking that leads to injury can be considered a form of bullying and should be avoided," she stated during the closing ceremony of the Hibiscus Student Safety Campaign at Sekolah Menengah Sungei Petai, Pasir Puteh, which gathered over 500 students from seven secondary schools in the district.

She underscored that student safety involves not only physical protection but also emotional, mental, social, and digital well-being, which are now significant challenges in the educational environment. Today's students face various risks, including cyberbullying, drug abuse, sexual crimes, misinformation, and social media misuse. "Knowledge of safety and the ability to act wisely have become essential life skills that today's students must master," she added.

Siti Norina also stressed the importance of collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, NGOs, and the community to ensure a comprehensive approach to student safety.

Meanwhile, Ir Mohd Azwani Abdul Rani, HSSE Hibiscus Malaysia's safety and worker welfare manager, expressed that the safety campaign is part of the company's corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at contributing to the community's well-being, particularly the younger generation. "We believe that building a safety culture does not only start when someone enters the workforce, but should be nurtured from school days," he remarked.