KUALA LUMPUR: Two Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs have questioned calls for education minister Fadhlina Sidek to resign over school bullying cases, arguing that ministers should not be held solely responsible for such incidents.
Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) said based on the same logic, the government would have to replace many Cabinet ministers if every road accident warranted a resignation.
He was responding to Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading), who questioned calls for Fadhlina's resignation while drawing attention to high drug abuse rates in several states.
Citing 2024 figures, Aminolhuda said Kelantan recorded the highest drug abuse rate at 980 cases per 100,000 residents, followed by Terengganu (925), Perlis (884) and Kedah (790).
"If a student is bullied, there are calls for the education minister to resign. So what about these four states with high drug abuse rates?" Aminolhuda asked.
Sany said drug abuse was a national problem that required collective action rather than blaming individual state governments.
"I do not want to point fingers at the governments of Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis or Kedah because this is our collective problem," he said.
He said MPs, ministers, agency heads and community leaders all had a responsibility to tackle drug abuse, which he described as a serious problem in the country.
Fadhlina previously faced calls to resign from PAS MPs over her handling of school bullying, particularly following the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah last year.
On Oct 21, a 16-year-old male student allegedly attacked a female teacher with an axe at an international school in Kuching, Sarawak.
Sany pointed out that Malaysia had about 10,200 schools and millions of students, saying the government could not be blamed whenever a bullying incident occurred.
"This is a problem involving our children. That is why we cannot blame the government alone," he said.
"What about our role as a society? What about our role as elected representatives, village heads and community leaders? What about our role as fathers, brothers and sisters at home?"
He urged all parties to work together to address drug abuse and bullying, saying both problems required the involvement of the wider community.