Death of Malaysian social media star shines spotlight on cyberbullying
Authorities in Malaysia have arrested a 35-year-old woman after a social media influencer was found dead at her home following days of online bullying.
Rajeswary Appahu, 30, known online as Esha, had filed a police report the day before her death on 5 July, citing fears of rape and murder, and named two individuals she accused of tormenting her on TikTok.
The woman who was arrested is being investigated on charges of criminal intimidation and violations of Malaysia’s communications and multimedia act, police said.
Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the topic of cyberbullying will be addressed in an upcoming cabinet meeting. He stressed that cyberbullying must not become normalised while highlighting the difficulty of tracking perpetrators who use fake accounts.
“I am angry and upset. We will leave it to the police to investigate. Cyberbullying should not become a culture …” he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.
Following Appahu’s death, there have been calls for legal reforms and stricter penalties for cyberbullies in Malaysia to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Mr Fadzil was quoted as saying in Bernama: “One of the complaints which the Malaysian communications and multimedia commission and the ministry of communications have received from the police, is that accounts involved in various abusive activities hide behind fake accounts, making it hard to identify the individuals who made the comments, or were involved in the scams.
“We don’t just report what happened, but take action, especially if we need to amend the law and what are the current weaknesses,” he said.
There were reportedly some TikTok accounts using pictures of the 30-year-old social media star in videos accompanied by foul language. The posts have now been removed from the platform.
David Marshel, deputy chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party, told reporters that Appahu had confided in him about facing severe online abuse.
Appahu was mostly known for her content on general positivity and beauty.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
