Cover image via New Straits TimesFollow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Parents are voicing growing concerns over their children's safety in schools following the fatal stabbing of a student at SMK Bandar Utama Damansara (4)
A father, who wished to be known only as Zac, told the New Straits Times that one of his three children studying at the school called him after witnessing the attack.
"My children told me about the gruesome assault on the female victim, and I decided to keep them home today," the English daily quoted him as saying.
Zac added that as a parent, he felt immense sympathy for the victim's family.
"Losing a loved one is like losing a part of yourself, especially when you are a parent," he said.
Another parent, Huszaifah, who has children at the SK Bandar Utama Damansara (4), said he was also shaken by the news, even though the incident did not happen at their school
"This news shocked me as a parent because it could happen to my child. I can only advise my children to be more aware of their surroundings while in school," he said.
He also urged schools to strengthen safety measures and increase vigilance among staff.
"Schools should implement stricter safety protocols, including more frequent spot checks and closer monitoring of students' behaviour in class, to prevent such tragedies from happening again," he added.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail has assured the public that schools across the country remain safe despite recent reports of bullying and violence
He said such cases were minimal compared with the total number of schools, students, and teachers nationwide, and that the police continue to work closely with education authorities to ensure safety.
"Overall, schools in this country are still safe. We have more than 10,000 schools with hundreds of thousands of students and over 400,000 teachers," he said after launching the Anti-Bullying Campaign Programme yesterday, 14 October.
However, despite these assurances, a spike in violent incidents — including bullying, sexual assault, and murder — has plagued Malaysian schools, prompting calls for urgent and systemic reforms to ensure student safety.
Recent months have seen a troubling rise in reported bullying and sexual assault cases.
Data from the Ministry of Education's Sistem Sahsiah Diri Murid showed an increase from 3,887 cases in 2022 to 5,891 in 2023, with 5,703 cases already recorded by October 2024. The trend appears to have persisted into 2025, with several severe cases reported in July alone.
On 18 July 2025, Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Form One female student in Sabah, fell from the third floor of her school building, allegedly due to peer bullying.
Two days later, on 20 July, another Form One girl was found tied up in a school toilet in Sungai Petani, Kedah, leading to the detention of two 13-year-old students.
On 22 July, a Form Three male student suffered serious eye injuries after being punched by fellow students.
On 1 October 2025, a 10-year-old boy was found unconscious on his school grounds in Negeri Sembilan and was later pronounced dead.
A gang rape case in Melaka further fuelled public anger.
On 2 October 2025, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by senior students in a classroom. The incident, reportedly recorded on video, led to the expulsion of four male students on 13 October and sparked intense debate over moral education, discipline, and school safety.
