Don’t dismiss public fears, concern over 13-year-old Malaysian Zara Qairina’s death, says former minister

KUALA LUMPUR – Don’t dismiss public fears and concern over the tragic death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, former Cabinet minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad tells Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

While welcoming the government’s commitment for a transparent probe, the Setiawangsa MP said the fundamental issue of the case involved the safety of school children.

“I hope the Education Minister will not be defensive in this matter, because this is a fundamental issue, the safety of our children in schools,” he said while debating the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Aug 11).

Nik Nazmi said it was important to show that the government was taking the matter seriously and not dismissing the public’s fears and concerns.

“The issue of bullying has now gained significant national attention.

“If it requires us to make a shift in our education system, then we must be willing to do so, to ensure the safety of our children is guaranteed.

“Matters such as student development or academic achievement cannot be our focus if we cannot even guarantee the basic safety of our children in schools,” he added.

The lawyer representing the family of the late Zara confirmed that there were indeed injuries on the body of the 13-year-old, as reported on social media following his observations during the post-mortem process at the Forensic Department of Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQEI) on Sunday (Aug 10), reported Sinar Harian.

Lawyer Shahlan Jufri told the Malay language daily that he spent eight hours in the autopsy room without eating or drinking to observe the entire procedure conducted by the forensic team.

“There are definitely injuries, there are indeed injuries. The injuries are as you know from social media, that’s how it is.

“Beyond that, I cannot disclose as it is still under investigation and is confidential.

“I don’t quite remember the number of injuries, but there were indeed fractures, there were indeed injuries,” he said when met at the Forensic Department of HQEI on Sunday night.

Zara Qairina’s remains have been reburied in Kg Mesapol in Sipitang, 30 hours after she was exhumed for a post-mortem examination.

The body of the late Zara Qairina was exhumed at 7.30pm on Saturday for the post-mortem ordered by the Attorney General’s Chambers as part of investigations into her death.

Zara Qairina was found unconscious near a drain close to her hostel building at the religious school in Papar on July 16. She subsequently died from the injuries the next day and was buried at her hometown cemetery on the same day (July 17).

With the completion of the post-mortem, Sabah police have yet to indicate the next course of their investigations.