Friends are often first responders to bullying victims, says Edwin Tong

Summary

• First responders to bullying are often peers, so equipping people with skills to identify bullying signs is vital, says Minister Edwin Tong.

• The Take a Stand movement launched with anti-bullying toolkits, peer support training and a film, aiming to reach every Singapore school.

• Musim Mas Holdings donated $1 million to The Majurity Trust's BlueStar Fund, supporting mental health and youth education programmes.

SINGAPORE – The first responders to bullying cases are often the victim’s friends and peers, rather than counsellors or parents, so it is important for people to be able to recognise signs of bullying and listen to those who are struggling, said Minister for Law Edwin Tong.

When everyone is trained to do so, Singapore can become a nation of supporters and listeners that overcomes the stigma surrounding mental well-being issues, he added, speaking at the launch of a movement against bullying on Oct 10 at social impact space The Foundry.

The Take A Stand movement, led by youth charity Character and Leadership Academy, will roll out anti-bullying tools and train more peer supporters in the coming months.

Mr Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, said the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy, a plan launched in 2023 to improve Singapore’s mental healthcare, provides a foundation for tackling the issue.

It is important that people practise these values and take ownership of the issue, he added, urging everyone to turn awareness into daily action. “Being aware is one thing, but if you are aware and you are just a bystander, it means nothing.”

Change is not just in big, grand gestures, he said, but rather in simple, everyday choices such as listening to someone a little longer and noticing the quiet person who sits in a corner or the changes in your friend.

Mental wellness is a shared responsibility, and it is not just about what one person can do, said Mr Tong. “Don’t just tell someone to suck it up or be strong.”

As part of Take A Stand’s launch, a short film titled The Last Straw was released and will be screened in six schools for a start, with an additional 12 schools to follow from January 2026. The goal is to reach every school in Singapore eventually.

Mr Tong said the film, based on an actual school bullying case, holds up a mirror to Singapore’s society and focuses on something that is not often talked about.

“Sometimes we shy away from talking about it because it is not an easy conversation. It is not something that we speak about freely, and sometimes we are all guilty of inadvertently brushing it aside,” he said.

“It is not enough to tell people to be strong and to stand up to it; we must build an environment that is overall safe. No child deserves to go to school feeling uncertain, unsafe or insecure.”

Schools must remain a safe space not just for learning but also for growing up in a positive community so that we can build a safer and kinder Singapore, he added.

During the movement’s launch, palm oil business Musim Mas Holdings donated $1 million to The Majurity Trust’s BlueStar Fund.

The fund supports community organisations that provide mental health services, counselling and youth education programmes. Since 2020, it has supported 43 initiatives that have helped more than 96,000 young people and caregivers.

Mr Tong said: “I hope we can collectively write a story where bullying has no place, and we can one day achieve our vision of completely eradicating it so that we have a safe space – one where compassion should have no limits and where every young person knows they are safe, supported and valued.”

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