Prevent toxic culture of criminal bullying from taking hold in varsities

From Tajuddin Abdullah

Reflecting on my initiation, aka “ragging”, into campus life in Shah Alam at the Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM) in 1974, I recall an experience that created lasting friendships with my seniors, mutual respect, and a sense of love and belonging.

Fresh from a kampung in Pahang, I joined other newcomers in light-hearted initiation rituals led by our seniors meant to ease us into the ITM community rather than to dominate.

Those moments of shared laughter and bonding, as we helped each other navigate a new environment, left an enduring impression and lasting friendships.

While there was a visible hierarchy, it operated within a framework of mutual respect and support, where ITM seniors guided us in adapting to the complicated campus life and its quirky traditions.

The situation today at the National Defence University (UPNM) tragically contrasts with those past memories at ITM.

At UPNM, the concept of “ragging” has transformed into acts of criminal bullying, changing what should be formative years on campus into nightmares of physical and psychological abuse.

Senior cadets, once entrusted to mentor and support younger students, have instead dominated and exploited their authority to inflict trauma, wielding power as a weapon rather than a social responsibility.

This abuse of hierarchy distorts the essential values of mutual respect and care that should highlight the positive university experience, especially in a military setting where discipline, respect and order are central.

This tragic shift emphasises the urgent need to revisit how we should prepare young students for university life. Developing soft skills, empathy, respect and ethical behaviour should begin long before students arrive at institutions of higher learning, particularly those with a hierarchical structure.

In secondary education, we must place greater emphasis on core values and interpersonal skills that will foster positive relationships in environments where power dynamics are prevalent.

Empathy, for instance, is a foundational quality that could help prevent harmful behaviour from taking root among students.

When students learn empathy through group projects, collaborative learning and community service, they develop the capacity to consider others’ perspectives and recognise the emotional impact of their actions.

This emotional sensitivity can reduce bullying behaviour, creating a culture where both juniors and seniors value each other’s dignity.

For students entering regimented environments like UPNM, early empathy training could be instrumental in guiding the healthy use of authority.

Respect and honour within hierarchical structures are equally critical. At ITM, respect for seniors was based on their experience and unconditional willingness to guide rather than on an intimidating assertion of power.

The tragic events at UPNM reveal a breakdown in this essential value. Through mentorship programmes and respectful interaction modules, secondary and pre-university education can help students understand that respect is earned through support and guidance, not coercion.

In universities, such programmes could transform junior-senior dynamics, fostering an environment where newcomers feel secure and valued, not vulnerable to criminal bullying.

Clear communication and effective conflict resolution skills are additional safeguards against aggression and hostility among students.

By integrating these skills into the pre-university curriculum, Malaysian secondary schools can equip students to navigate future disagreements constructively.

When students learn to express themselves assertively yet respectfully, they are less likely to resort to aggression, setting a healthy precedent for future interactions in university settings where hierarchy might otherwise provoke tension and criminal acts.

Instilling a sense of moral responsibility and ethical behaviour is equally important in preparing students for the university environment. At ITM, an unspoken moral code guided how seniors treated their juniors, fostering a shared understanding of boundaries.

Today, formal ethics education can help students entering structured environments, like UPNM, understand the responsibilities inherent in their roles.

This moral grounding encourages seniors to wield their influence constructively, reinforcing that authority comes with an obligation to uplift rather than diminish others.

Accountability and responsibility are also vital to foster a safe and inclusive university campus culture. At ITM, we shared a collective sense of duty towards each other’s well-being, an ethos that has, unfortunately, waned in many other institutions today.

Teaching students early on to be accountable not only for their own actions but also for the welfare of those around them can foster a culture of mutual support.

This sense of responsibility is particularly crucial in regimented environments, where students are often dependent on seniors as peers for guidance and support. In such settings, accountability can prevent the harmful isolation and unchecked aggression seen in the cases at UPNM.

The harrowing incidents at UPNM demonstrate the need for institutions to adopt robust, zero-tolerance policies against criminal bullying.

Establishing clear protocols for reporting, investigating and addressing this type of aggressive behaviour is essential for creating a safe environment.

However, policies alone are insufficient. Our secondary education system must lay a foundation that prepares students to engage positively in complex campus social structures.

By instilling values of empathy, respect, constructive communication, moral responsibility and accountability, we can shape a future in which initiation rituals like those once practised at ITM build unity rather than foster fear.

These qualities encourage healthy interactions that sustain a supportive, inclusive university culture, which ultimately benefits every student.

The UPNM criminal bullying tragedies serve as a sobering reminder of the consequences when power dynamics of senior students are unchecked and values are neglected.

Moving forward, we must strive to cultivate a campus environment that values mutual respect and constructive junior-senior relationships.

Only by emphasising these essential virtues in early education can we prevent the toxic culture of criminal bullying from taking hold, ensuring that higher education remains a journey of experiential growth, collegiality, commonality and self-discovery, as it once was at ITM in 1974. - FMT

Tajuddin Abdullah is a retired professor and a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.