KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 8 -- Too often dismissed as childhood quarrels or harmless initiation rituals, bullying is far more insidious. Criminologists warn it is a form of deviant behaviour that sits between delinquency and crime - and Malaysia has yet to properly define it.

According to Universiti Sains Malaysia criminologist Datuk P. Sundramoorthy, bullying carries three defining elements: a power imbalance, the intentional infliction of harm, and repetition over time.

"The harm can take many forms - physical aggression, verbal insults, social exclusion, or online harassment.

"What sets it apart from ordinary disputes is its persistence and its impact - victims often suffer trauma, withdraw socially, and see their educational performance ...