13/08/2025

WEDNESDAY | AUG 13, 2025

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COMMENT by Ummu Nazra Nadzam

Hidden triggers of teenage suicide B ULLYING is no longer confined to schools; it has infiltrated chat rooms, social media feeds and gaming socially excluded youths. Recognising warning signs Whether the trigger is bullying, peer pressure or rejection, the red flags for suicidal risk are similar: “Bullying is not a harmless rite of passage; it is a risk factor for lifelong mental health struggles and, in worst cases, can trigger suicide.

the curriculum . 0 Engage parents in workshops to align home and school responses. Clinics and mental health services: 0 Screen for bullying involvement (as victim, perpetrator or both). 0 Assess for suicidal risk in any teenager presenting bullying-related on resilience, social skills and healthy peer relationship building. Bullying is not a harmless rite of passage; it is a risk factor for lifelong mental health struggles and, in worst cases, can trigger suicide. What front-line educators and clinicians are seeing daily is cyberbullying, amplified by peer influence, shaping how young feel about themselves, their friendships and their worth. By acknowledging the social forces that drive bullying and addressing the fear of exclusion at its core, we can protect young people not only from harm but also from the isolation and despair that often follow. If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, seek help or consult a psychologist. UmmuNazra Nadzam is a clinical psychologist at Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com distress. 0 Offer therapy focused

platforms, creating an environment where harassment is constant, public and hard to escape. In Malaysia, rising numbers of bullying cases offline and online are now colliding with another disturbing trend: increasing adolescent suicide risk. Rising tide of bullying The recent national figures paint a stark picture: 0 School bullying cases: The Education Ministry recorded 4,994 cases from January to October 2023. By October 2024, this figure had surged to 6,208 cases, reflecting a sustained upward trajectory. 0 Cyberbullying enforcement: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission received 8,399 cyberbullying-related reports in the first 11 months of 2024, an average of 27 per day. A total of 8,756 harmful posts were removed in 2024, almost five times more than in 2023. Calls for stronger legal and procedural remedies in 2025 have been growing, with experts urging schools to treat serious bullying as a potential criminal matter, not just a disciplinary breach. Based on a 2022 research study I conducted with over 800 teenage AS the government considers raising tobacco taxes in Budget 2026, the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) urges policymakers to adopt a more effective and science-based approach. Risk-based taxation, where nicotine products are taxed according to their level of health risk, offers a practical solution that supports public health while avoiding unintended consequences, such as the growth of black market or barriers to harm reduction. While reducing non communicable diseases is commendable, a uniform tax on all tobacco and nicotine products may do more harm than good. We support the government’s health goals but applying the same tax to cigarettes, vaping products and other reduced-risk alternatives is counterproductive. Taxation should reflect relative harm so smokers are encouraged to switch to safer products. Malaysia already faces a significant challenge from the illicit tobacco trade. High excise rates on cigarettes have long pushed many consumers – particularly those in lower income groups – towards cheaper, unregulated products. Between 2002 and 2010, legal cigarette sales in Malaysia fell by 31%, from 19.5 billion to 13.5 billion sticks.

0 Talking or posting about death due to hopelessness or being a burden. 0 Sudden withdrawal from friends, family or hobbies. 0 Major changes in sleep, appetite or mood. 0 Self-harm marks or risky, impulsive behaviours. 0 Declining school attendance or performance, especially after social conflicts. If any of these signs appear, immediate professional assessment is critical. Breaking the cycle Parents: 0 Model healthy online habits and boundaries. 0 Encourage open conversations about peer pressure and digital behaviour. 0 Document and report bullying incidents early. Schools: 0 Implement whole-school anti bullying policies with clear definitions and confidential reporting. 0 Integrate digital citizenship and social pressure awareness into

of bullying. Feelings of rejection or social exclusion can: 0 Intensify loneliness and isolation. 0 Reduce help-seeking behaviours due to shame or fear of retaliation. 0 Heighten vulnerability to self harm behaviours or suicidal tendencies. This is especially dangerous when online harassment follows teenagers into their bedrooms at night, eliminating what used to be a safe space away from school. Latest national picture According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022, adolescent health offers sobering statistics: 0 13.1% of Malaysian adolescents aged 13 to 17 experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year. 0 10% had made a suicide plan. 0 9.5% had attempted suicide. 0 26.9% showed symptoms of depression. These are the most recent nationwide figures and they highlight the urgency of mental health screening for bullied or

and adolescent participants, findings showed that cyberbullying and “fear of missing out” (Fomo) are key contributing factors for the rise in mental health issues among young people. Fomo – a persistent anxiety about being excluded from rewarding experiences – can push adolescents into unhealthy online habits, where comparison, competition and approval-seeking dominate. Some teenagers, fearing social exclusion, join in bullying behaviour to gain acceptance from their peer group or avoid becoming targets themselves. Furthermore, social media amplifies this dynamics. The more they witness peers engaging in harmful behaviour, the more normalised it feels. This peer pressure-meets-online-influence cycle can turn otherwise empathetic teenagers into active participants in bullying. Emotional fallout The psychological damage is rarely confined to the immediate moment During the same period, illicit consumption surged to 8.8 billion, pushing the black market share from 21% to 39% of total sales. The experience of other countries can provide essential lessons. In Australia, one of the countries with the highest tobacco taxes in the world, economists and public health experts had warned that continued tax hikes had failed to reduce smoking prevalence and instead have expanded the black market. The Guardian reported in June 2025 that the policy may have reached a tipping point, enriching criminal networks while producing diminishing public health returns. Since then, calls have been made for the government to freeze further excise increases and focus on reducing illicit trade and promoting access to safer alternatives. In contrast, countries that have embraced risk-based taxation are seeing positive outcomes. In Sweden, lower taxes on snus, a smokeless tobacco product, has helped bring smoking rates to under 5%. Sweden now records 41% fewer tobacco-related cancer cases and 44% lower tobacco mortality compared to the European Union average. Rather than punishing all nicotine use, Sweden encourages smokers to switch to less harmful options and the results are precise.

Science-driven tobacco taxes can reduce harm LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

As Malaysia seeks to

modernise its health system and address the burden of smoking related diseases, risk based taxation offers a responsible and forward looking path. – REUTERSPIC

risk – should have a lower tax than combustible tobacco products. This structure would encourage adult smokers to make healthier choices without compromising public revenue or regulatory control. As Malaysia seeks to modernise its health system and address the burden of smoking-related diseases, risk based taxation offers a responsible and forward-looking path. It aligns with international best practices while responding to local challenges. Taxation should support public health, not undermine it. By adopting a balanced and science-driven approach, Malaysia can lead the way in creating policies that protect consumers and the integrity of our public institutions. Tarmizi Anuwar Malaysia Country Associate CCC

impact. The ban on e-vaporisers in Singapore and Thailand has contributed to cross-border smuggling of vaping products from Malaysia, one of the largest producers of e-vapour devices in the world. Similarly, significant price differences between countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia can create financial incentives for illicit trade that undermine national regulation and tax collection. Malaysia should not repeat these mistakes. We need to build a system based on science that protects consumers and does not unintentionally support criminal networks. Risk-based taxation is not about removing regulation; it is about improving it. CCC recommends a tiered taxation model under Budget 2026. Products such as vapes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches – which have lower

New Zealand followed a similar path by reducing the excise tax on heated tobacco products by 50% in 2024 to support its national smoke free goal. The measure was made permanent this year. This bold step was based on the understanding that tax incentives for reduced-risk products can support smokers looking for practical alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Malaysia can learn from successful and unsuccessful global examples. The experiences of Australia, Sweden and New Zealand show that the structure of taxation matters. We get better public health outcomes if we design a tax policy that supports switching. If we over rely on punitive measures, we risk pushing people into the black market and losing control over the system. At the regional level, policy inconsistencies are already causing an