SHAH ALAM, Aug 17 – Workplace bullying should not be taken lightly and must be regarded as a serious violation that threatens employees’ wellbeing and mental health.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Strategic Administration and Human Resources director at the Office of Industry, Community and Alumni Network (ICAN), Noriah Mohamed Ali, said management teams, including Human Resources (HR) departments, must treat bullying as a corporate crime rather than a minor internal issue.
“Bullying does not necessarily happen physically. Repeated belittling or sarcastic remarks can also inflict emotional harm and affect the victim’s mental health,” she said during Media Selangor’s “Bicara Semasa” programme, recently.
Noriah also urged victims not to remain silent but to lodge formal complaints to protect their rights.
However, she stated that complaints must not be made verbally alone and should be documented in writing, supported with solid evidence to enable appropriate action.
“Complaints must be written, not just verbal, and must be backed by proof. Without that, we cannot conduct a fair investigation,” she said.
On July 11, the government amended the Penal Code (Amendment) 2025 and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) 2025 to strengthen workplace protections, classifying workplace harassment as a criminal offence.
Too much free time
Commenting on the roots of workplace bullying, Noriah said that bullies are often not among the busiest employees but those with too much free time.
“People who are busy with their work don’t have time to bully others. When there’s too much free time, bullies tend to meddle in others’ affairs, gossip, and find faults,” she said.
Noriah said the HR department plays an important role in ensuring a healthy and professional work culture.
However, she also added that any investigation into bullying cases must be based on documentation and official reports, not assumptions or unsubstantiated complaints.
