Its chairman, Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, said this policy could be supported by anti-bullying campaigns.
This comes after the High Court sentenced six students of the National Defence University (UPNM) to 18 years in jail for causing the death of navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain four years ago.
The court, which delivered its verdict on Tuesday, found that 90 burn wounds had been inflicted on Zulfarhan using a hot steam iron, causing his death.
Noor Azimah said Zulfarhan’s family should sue the university for negligence, adding that action should also be taken against the wardens if they were found to have failed in their duty to keep the hostels safe.
“Only then can the lessons be learned,” she told FMT.
On punishment for those found guilty of bullying, she said they should be expelled and referred to the social welfare department for rehabilitation.
She encouraged victims to seek help from students’ unions or their tutors or submit complaints to their universities.
“Parents also have to keep an open mind and not brush off their children. It is already tough for a person to reveal and share what is painful and humiliating.
“Parents should support and bolster confidence. Keep details of the incidents and encourage their child to report to the administration. Accompany the child if need be,” she said.
National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Wang Heng Suan said emphasis should be placed on prevention rather than punishment.
“Strategies on educating students to create and strengthen awareness on the effects of bullying should be of utmost importance. Counselling should also be given to offenders,” he told FMT.
Wang said CCTVs were encouraged to help university authorities monitor the situation, and regular spot checks carried out to identify the early stages of bullying among students.
“Schools or universities should come out with their own methods and strategies according to their school environment.
“They should offer the victim and whistleblower some kind of protection and confidentiality when a report is made to the authorities,” he said.
Former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching said it was important for all parties, including teachers, students, counsellors, parents and the police, to work together to resolve a complaint.
“The duty cannot be pushed to the counsellor alone, because if the school or university authorities take bullying lightly, then the students and teachers will likely have a similar attitude,” she told FMT.
Teo said it was not possible to completely eliminate bullying, but schools and universities could increase monitoring to prevent cases from recurring.
“Schools and universities can also conduct training and awareness programmes. They should address the different forms of bullying and how to overcome them,” she said.
She also said adequate follow-up and a safe space to lodge complaints should be provided to help victims.