Malaysia’s New Anti-Bullying Law: Must Know Key Penalties!

On July 11 2025, Malaysia put its new Anti-Bullying Law into effect through the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2023 and the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act 2023. 

This law represents a big move to protect employees from harassment and bad behavior — and shows the government wants to hold both people and companies responsible for toxic workplace actions. 

If you own a business lead HR, or work as an employee, this isn’t just another rule change — it’s now criminal law. If you ignore or handle bullying reports, your company could face serious legal trouble. 

The Legal Perspective: Sections 507B to 507G 

The new law introduces Sections 507B to 507G into Malaysia’s Penal Code. These sections work together to outline and make illegal various forms of bullying – including physical and mental harassment – in all settings such as the workplace. 

Section	Offence Description	Examples
507B	Threats or repeated abuse	Verbal threats, intimidation
507C	Insults or communications to cause distress	Humiliating messages or public shaming
507D	Emotional or psychological harm	Exclusion, manipulation, or repeated criticism
507E	Sharing private info without consent (doxing)	Posting personal data or screenshots online
507F	Stalking (physical or online)	Monitoring or following an employee
507G	Bullying leading to self-harm or suicide attempts	Causing severe mental distress or trauma

Timeline: 

• Passed: December 2024 

• Gazetted: March 2025 

• Enforced: July 11 2025 

The Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said oversee the law. 

Why This Law Has an Impact on Employers 

In the past, companies often dealt with bullying incidents as HR or disciplinary issues, without legal repercussions. The situation has now transformed: 

• Emotional or psychological harassment is against the law

• Employers who don’t take action might be seen as careless. 

• HR teams need to make sure their internal investigation methods match up with police procedures. 

Just like you follow LHDN’s e-invoicing rules, HR teams now have to follow the Penal Code’s new anti-bullying rules. 

Main Government Advice for Employers 

Minister Azalina Othman has asked organizations to: 

• Put anti-bullying rules in employee handbooks and contracts. 

• Set up easy ways to report problems inside the company. 

• Get the government, businesses, and community groups to work together to teach people about bullying and stop it. 

The HR Ministry and BHEUU are teaming up with industry groups to give training and info sessions. They’re focusing on small and medium-sized businesses that don’t have formal ways to handle complaints. 

Workplace Bullying in Malaysia — The Numbers 

A 2024 study by the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management (MIHRM) shows: 

• 31% of employees said they saw or experienced bullying. 

• 60% kept quiet because they feared payback or thought no one would believe them. 

• 45% of cases involved spoken abuse; 28% took place online or in chat groups. 

The law now sees these as criminal acts even when they happen in digital work spaces like WhatsApp, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. 

Punishments Under Malaysia’s Anti-Bullying Law (2025) 

Offence Type	Section	Maximum Penalty
Verbal or emotional bullying	507B / 507C	Up to 3 years’ imprisonment and/or fine
Sharing private info (doxing)	507E	Up to 3 years’ imprisonment and/or fine
Harassment or stalking (online/offline)	507F	Up to 1 year’s imprisonment and/or fine
Bullying causing self-harm	507G	Up to 3 years’ imprisonment and/or fine

Repeat or deliberate offences lead to tougher sentences when the victim suffers proven psychological damage. 

Digital Bullying Falls Under This Law Too 

The Anti-Bullying Law covers all work settings, including remote and hybrid arrangements. 

This law covers bullying through: 

• Work chat platforms (Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, Telegram) 

• Company emails or dashboards 

• Social media posts linked to work 

if they result in emotional distress or damage to reputation. 

Companies need to check their digital communication guidelines similar to how they handle data privacy or e-Invoicing rules. 

Employer Compliance Checklist (2025) 

HR professionals and business owners should take these steps now to meet the new law’s requirements: 

1. Update Employee Contracts & Handbooks 

Add sections about anti-bullying rules and punishments. 

2. Conduct Awareness Training 

Teach employers and employees how to spot and report bullying. 

3. Set Up Reporting Channels 

Use outside or unbiased ways to handle complaints . 

4. Document and Look Into All Cases 

Keep written notes and show what actions you took after. 

5. Check Digital Platforms 

Stop misuse in work chat apps while keeping privacy in mind. 

How Info-Tech HRMS Helps You Follow the Rules 

To manage employees well-being and stick to laws, you need the right tools. Info-Tech’s  HRMS helps companies build safer clear workplaces with a  built-in “Feedback” module: 

• A “Grievance Management” feature to report issues. 

• Feedback modules that give employees a chance to speak up about problems. 

• Digital records & audit trails to help HR look into issues. 

• Analytics dashboards to see patterns in how people act at work. 

When companies use digital HR tools, they can spot warning signs, fix problems quicker, and stay on the right side of the law. 

Book a Free Demo to see how our HRMS helps you follow anti-bullying rules. 

Takeaway 

The Anti-Bullying Law Malaysia 2025 means more than just a change on paper — it shows the government cares about mental health and respect at work. 

Companies that take action now — by updating policies training employees, and implementing clear HR systems — will safeguard their staff and their company’s image. 

Info-Tech’s HRMS combines compliance with care. Transform your workplace into a safer more respectful environment — for all. 

Frequently Asked Questions: