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Hiding behind fake accounts
Speaking to reporters after attending Ms. Rajeswari’s funeral on Sunday, Fazil said he had spoken to the woman’s family, who claimed that the stress of being bullied on TikTok led to her death, The Star reported.
“I feel angry and upset. We will hand it over to the police for investigation. Cyberbullying should not become a culture…” he said, adding that one of the main problems in dealing with the issue is that many perpetrators are difficult to identify because they hide behind fake accounts.
“One of the complaints received by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Communications Ministry from the police is that accounts involved in various abusive activities are hidden behind fake accounts, making it difficult to identify the individuals who made comments or participated in the scams,” Bernama quoted him as saying.
Mr. Fahmi noted that the upcoming Cabinet meeting on July 12 will discuss the issue of cyberbullying on social media platforms.
“We don’t just report on what’s happening, we take action, especially if we need to change the law and if we find current weaknesses,” he said.
Separately, Mr Fahmi warned the public, especially civil servants, to avoid becoming cyberbullies themselves. He added that the communications ministry would consider amending existing laws related to cyberbullying and insisted that those involved in Ms Rajeswari’s case would be brought to justice.
“The matter has been conveyed to the prime minister… I have also spoken to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Law and Institutional Reforms) Azalina Osman Sayeed. We have similar positions on the issue and a meeting will be held in a few days,” Mr Fahmi said.
Meanwhile, the New Straits Times reported that Segamat MP R Yuneswaran called for strict legal action against those responsible for the cyberbullying that led to Ms Rajeswary’s death.
“The Ministry of Communications and Digital and relevant departments should set an example and severely punish those who bullied Isha.
“The perpetrators of this heinous act must be held accountable. By doing so, we send a clear message to all bullies on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram that their actions will not be tolerated and will be severely punished,” he said.
Malaysia’s The Sun reported earlier this year that MCMC recorded 3,199 complaints related to cyberbullying in 2023. The commission found that Facebook was the main platform for cyberbullying, receiving 1,401 complaints, followed by WhatsApp (667), Instagram (388), TikTok (258) and X (159).
Meanwhile, a 2022 report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) found that Malaysia ranked second in Asia for cyberbullying among teenagers in 2020.
In 2022, a 44-year-old mother in Malaysia committed suicide due to bullying on TikTok, according to Sinar Daily.
In 2019, regional media reported that a 16-year-old girl in Sarawak jumped to her death a few hours after she launched a poll on Instagram in which 69% of respondents encouraged her to commit suicide.
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