KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The government is prioritising efforts to address cyberbullying and hate speech in sports by strengthening legal frameworks and increasing public awareness, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi who is the spokesperson for the Unity Government, said the Youth and Sports Ministry, led by Hannah Yeoh, is collaborating with other agencies to tackle harassment, abuse and hate speech in sports, following a spike in online harassment reported during the recent Paris Olympic and Paralympic events.

"There’s a need to address cyberbullying at its roots by implementing educational programmes in schools and sports arenas.

"These programmes will help raise awareness about the serious effects cyberbullying has on mental health and sportsmanship,” he said during an inter-media netball and nine-a-side football tournament held in conjunction with the Hawana Games at Brainy Bunch International School, Melawati Campus here today.

Also present at the tournament, organised by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), were Bernama Chief Executive Officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who also participated in the nine-a-side football competition with the Bernama C team and Deputy Editor-in-Chief (News Service) Nasriah Darus.

Fahmi said the initiative, particularly through awareness programmes targeting schools and sporting events, aims to educate communities about the impact of cyberbullying on athletes, fans, and supporters.

He added that the government is also considering amending the Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code to explicitly define cyberbullying and other forms of harassment.

"We hope the legal changes will be passed in the current parliamentary session,” he said, adding that it may take time for people to understand how these laws will be enforced.

Fahmi emphasised the need for concrete measures to ensure that relevant agencies can respond effectively to any violations of online media.

"Once we have the law in place, along with the awareness programmes, we believe it will help reduce the likelihood of such incidents,” he added.

Hawana, first celebrated on April 11, 2018, aims to appreciate and acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of the media community while enhancing professionalism among media practitioners in the country. It also serves as a platform for them to come together and discuss current issues faced by the media industry. — Bernama