Kuala Lampur, Sept. 12 -- The recent spate of bullying cases in Malaysia has triggered widespread anger, frustration, and mistrust. What could have been an opportunity to examine the systemic roots of bullying has instead escalated into moral panic where public outrage is fuelled by fear, amplified by media narratives, and channelled into hostility. This heightened emotion has manifested in calls for vigilante justice and a wholesale dismissal of expert opinion, deepening the erosion of institutional legitimacy.

The situation is complex and does not rest on the shoulders of any single actor. Like many societies, Malaysia faces ongoing challenges in ensuring that responses to crime are perceived as fair, transparent, and consistent. Publi...