PETALING JAYA: On the fourth anniversary of the death of T Nhaveen, his mother D Shanti has called for the government to declare June 15 as Anti-Bullying Day, as a tribute to remember victims of those who have died as a result of bullying.
“June 15 as National Anti-Bullying Day will be a small step in building hope and making a firm stand against cowards who choose to hide in the shadows of deceit and lies.
“This date will also ensure that every individual understands and is emphatically aware of this dreaded disease called bullying,” Nhaveen’s mother said in a statement.
Nhaveen, 17, was bullied and tortured by a group of schoolmates near his home on June 9, 2017. The teens had also allegedly bullied him in school for being effeminate.
Nhaveen was declared brain dead upon his arrival at the hospital and remained comatose for six days before passing away on June 15.
Meanwhile, activist Arun Dorasamy, who formed the Nhaveen Action and Investigation League or “NAIL” sought to pass an Act to eliminate bullying, known as the Nhaveen-Zulfarhan Anti-Bully Act.
“An official letter has been sent to the de facto law minister requesting robust legislation on bullying and June 15 to be declared as a National Anti-Bullying Day. We hope that this will be a step forward in preventing, reducing, and eventually eliminating bullying in Malaysia,” he said in a statement.
Citing a study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysian (UKM), Arun said over 82.9% of school children have experienced bullying at least once during their school years.
“If only we had a holistic Anti-Bully Act in place, bullies would have been deterred from such a crime. It is time for us to create awareness, policies, and act against bullies.”-FMT