President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that society has a responsibility to prevent bullying against children following the death of an elementary school student suspected of having slipped into depression after being bullied in Tasikmalaya, West Java.
“This is the responsibility of all of us, the responsibility of parents, the responsibility of educators, the responsibility of schools, and the responsibility of the community, so that bullying does not happen again in future,” the president noted in Bogor, West Java, on Saturday.
“We must take care together, so that our children have a world of play, the world of children with their joy. Do not let bullying happen again,” he emphasized.
The president also conveyed his condolences to the family of the student, a victim of bullying, who died in Tasikmalaya.
“I would like to express my deep condolences for the incident in Tasikmalaya, and this is the responsibility of all of us,” he stated.
A fifth grade elementary school student, who became a victim of bullying, died after undergoing treatment for depression in Singaparna Sub-District, Tasikmalaya District.
The West Java Regional Police have investigated 15 people related to bullying cases that included coercion to commit the immoral act.
According to Head of Public Relations of the West Java Police, Senior Commissioner Ibrahim Tompo, as many as 15 people, who were examined, were witnesses that saw firsthand the bullying incident or heard the story of the bullying.
The Women’s Empowerment and Children Protection Ministry earlier approached the family of a victim of bullying that was causal to the child’s death in Tasikmalaya, West Java.
The deputy of special protection for children at the Women’s Empowerment and Children Protection Ministry, Nahar, said that his administration was currently working towards solving the case through the local women and children protection technical unit.
“The regional women and children protection technical unit approached the victim’s family,” he remarked.
His administration also worked with the Tasikmalaya child protection agency to conduct further procedures.
“Coordination between local agencies (aims to) address this case through procedures and mechanisms for child protection, as set by the law in terms of child protection,” he elaborated.
Source: Antara News