Did You Know Workplace Bullying Is Now a Crime in Malaysia? Here's What the New Law Says

According to reports, both acts were passed in the Dewan Rakyat on 10 December 2024 and in the Dewan Negara on 16 December 2024, with majority support from Members of Parliament.

These new laws provide victims with the legal right to lodge police reports for harassment experienced either in the workplace or digitally.

Under the new amendments, several behaviours are now classified as criminal offenses, including:

• Physical or verbal harassment of colleagues (including sexual or emotional harassment).
• Cyberbullying, such as public shaming on social media, group chats, or workplace platforms.
• Dissemination of personal information or doxing, such as sharing addresses, phone numbers, health history, or confidential data without consent.
• Excessive emotional pressure that leads individuals to lose self-control, including tendencies toward self-harm.

These offenses are now classified as serious crimes, with penalties including imprisonment of up to three years. The law applies to all employees, including those in the public and private sectors, contract workers, part-time, and freelance workers, regardless of gender.

According to a statement by the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister’s Department, “These amendments introduce specific provisions that enable stricter legal action against bullies, in line with the government’s commitment to protect society, especially vulnerable groups such as children, teenagers, and individuals suffering mental stress due to bullying."

The statement further explained that these amendments were made after reviewing weaknesses in existing laws, which were found to be inadequate in addressing various forms of psychological and emotional threats, especially in today’s increasingly challenging digital environment.

“The implementation of both acts also aims to streamline legal procedures, improve the efficiency of the criminal justice process, and enable faster and firmer action against lawbreakers,” the statement added.