PETALING JAYA : The absence of any workplace bullying or harassment complaints in 2025 does not mean such problems do not exist, say human resource experts and an employers’ group. Arulkumar Singaraveloo and Mangalagowri Ramanathan said the lack of recorded cases more likely reflected under-reporting rather than an absence of misconduct, while Malaysian Employers Federation president Syed Hussain Syed Husman said employers might hesitate to categorise incidents as bullying, or delay action to avoid potential criminal exposure. Arulkumar was commenting on a statement on Jan 22 by human resources minister R Ramanan that none of the over 13,000 complaints lodged with the labour department in the past year over work issues concerned workplace bullying or harassment. Syed Hussain Syed Husman. As such, Syed Hussain said, criminal action should be a last resort, reserved for serious and persistent cases of workplace bullying.