KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) plans to hire retired police and armed forces personnel as wardens at its Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) boarding schools to help stem bullying, its chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki announced on X today.

The move follows a recent bullying case involving one of its MRSM students that sparked public outrage.

The statutory body reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on bullying following the incident and confirmed its commitment to addressing the problem.

Asyraf said the Mara board had agreed to the proposal, which will be implemented initially as a pilot project at several MRSM schools.

"Mara will begin hiring full time wardens from among retired police and armed forces personnel as a pilot project to instil discipline and zero-bullying,” the senator wrote on his X account.

"This proposal was brought to the Mara board and agreed to unanimously. To begin, the pilot will take place in several MRSM schools to look at its effectiveness.”

The pilot project is expected to start in July, New Straits Times quoted Asyraf as saying.

"Collaboration will also be done with the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association and Malaysian Ex-Police Association to identify selection criteria,” the senator added.

Bullying cases in schools have been on the rise, prompting concerns among parents and educators.

Recently, the authorities confirmed that a one-minute and 31-second video showing a student being bullied in a dormitory at an MRSM in South Seberang Perai, Penang, was widely circulated on social media.

The case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt.