Wah, Malaysia is leading the game in addressing workplace bullying!
Since July 2025, workplace bullying has become a criminal offence there – with real jail time and serious consequences for both bosses and employees. No more just “let HR handle it” kind of thing.
This news went viral after a TikTok video by HR Update Malaysia (made with job portal A Job Thing) started spreading like wildfire. The video titled “Workplace bullying is no longer ‘just HR’s problem'” got almost 500,000 views and nearly 30,000 likes. Even got Singaporeans watching and talking cock about it on Reddit.
One Singaporean on Reddit said: “Workplace bullying is now a crime and outlawed in Malaysia. Singapore should do this too… can’t wait to see some of those bullies in jail.” Many people agreed sia, shows how fed up workers are with this kind of toxic behavior at work.
What the Malaysian law covers now
From July 11, 2025 onwards, Malaysia amended its Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to specifically make bullying, harassment, intimidation, and cyberbullying at work a criminal matter. All those things that used to be brushed off as “personality clashes” or “management style” now can land you in hot soup with the police.
The new Sections 507B to 507G spell out exactly what’s illegal:
- Section 507B: Using threatening or abusive words – can get up to 3 years jail
- Section 507C: Sending threats that cause fear or distress (including through digital channels) – up to 1 year jail or fine
- Section 507D: Harassment causing mental or emotional harm – up to 1 year jail
- Section 507D(2): Harassment that leads someone to attempt self-harm or death – up to 10 years jail
- Section 507F–507G: Doxing (sharing someone’s personal info without consent) – up to 3 years jail
The message damn clear lah: if you repeatedly intimidate, humiliate, or pressure people at work until they mentally cannot take it, you’re committing a crime. Full stop.
So what exactly counts as workplace bullying?
According to HR Update Malaysia and A Job Thing, workplace bullying means repeated, unreasonable behavior that harms an employee’s mental or emotional health. Some common examples include:
- Keep shouting, humiliating, or verbally attacking someone
- Threatening people’s job security to control them
- Spreading rumors or purposely isolating teammates
- Giving impossible deadlines on purpose to set people up for failure
- Shaming people in meetings or group chats
- Harassing through WhatsApp, email, or social media
- Sharing private employee information without permission
But don’t worry lah, the law still knows the difference between bullying and proper management. Fair performance reviews, reasonable instructions, and constructive feedback are still okay. The key factors they look at are: pattern of behavior, intention, and the psychological impact on the victim.
S’poreans reacting to the news
Wah, the Reddit discussion very shiok to read! One person wrote: “If this were implemented two years back, all my bosses would be in jail!” Another one said after working 13 years with juniors under them, they never need to shout – just correct people nicely and they’ll improve.
Some commenters pointed out that bullying not always obvious one. Sometimes it’s excessive workload, unreasonable expectations, and pressure designed to make you fail or quit. One Singaporean described the familiar patterns here:
“Similar modus operandi to many organisations here: Despise work-life balance. Demand every ounce of their employees, even after work hours. Demands absolute reverence. Brainless reverence. Resorting to gaslighting and manipulating employees. And when they realise they can’t manipulate said employees, get rid of them at all costs.”
What this means for companies and HR
For Malaysian employers, the game has changed completely. Companies now must treat bullying as a serious workplace safety issue, not just some small conflict to sweep under the carpet.
HR Update Malaysia says employers must now:
- Update company policies to clearly cover psychological harassment
- Set up confidential reporting channels
- Train managers on what behavior crosses the legal line
- Investigate complaints quickly and fairly
- Document everything properly in case authorities need to review
Cannot anyhow dismiss things as “personality clashes” anymore. Employees can even skip HR altogether and go straight to police if they want. A Job Thing advises affected workers to keep written records, gather evidence, talk to witnesses, and maintain confidentiality. The law also protects whistleblowers – any retaliation against them means even more penalties for the company.
Will Singapore follow?
Many Singaporeans watching this development closely leh. While Malaysia taking decisive action, a lot of people here still quietly tahan similar toxic behavior at work. The Reddit discussion showed people don’t want revenge – they just want accountability and a culture where there’s a clear line between good leadership and abuse.
This law is more than just about punishing people. It signals a bigger cultural shift where behavior that was excused as “tough management” or “office banter” is now being challenged properly. For workers watching from Singapore, the message is clear: change can happen when the law finally backs up what employees have been complaining about all along.
Source: The Independent SG, HR Update Malaysia
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