Anwar vows transparent probe into death of 13-year-old Sabah student amid bullying claims

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged that no individual, regardless of rank or political ties, will be protected from investigations into the death of a 13-year-old student in Sabah.

Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha student, was found unconscious at about 4am on Jul 16. 

She is believed to have fallen from the third floor of her school dormitory in Papar in the East Malaysian state, and was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital the following day.

Her death has sparked social media allegations of bullying by the child of an influential figure and garnered national attention for weeks through the hashtag #JusticeforZara.

Though Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said last Saturday (Aug 2) the police had completed their probe, Zara’s mother said she filed another police report on Sunday after recalling seeing bruises on her daughter’s back while preparing her body for burial, Malaysian media reported. 

Her legal team said this warrants a fresh investigation into the case, despite Anwar confirming that the full investigation report had been submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC). 

Anwar said on Sunday investigations into Zara’s death must be conducted swiftly and transparently, and urged the public not to speculate or make accusations against high-profile figures without evidence.

“This is a nation of law, not slander. Whoever is involved in a criminal act such as murder will not be protected,” Anwar was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

“Regardless of whether they are Datuk Seri or Tan Sri, we will investigate if there is proof … Do not throw baseless accusations just because they are the child of a minister or a relative of a deputy prime minister or deputy chief minister,” he added during his speech at the closing ceremony of the National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day 2025 in Sabah, as quoted by Malay Mail. 

Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, has denied making allegations linking her daughter’s death to prominent individuals, according to a statement on Saturday by her lawyers.

“Noraidah has never mentioned any high-profile individual in relation to Zara’s death. Any such assumptions or allegations are baseless and did not come from her,” said her lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri, as reported by Berita Harian. 

Noraidah’s lawyers also denied their client made claims about what was said to a student on the day of the incident, and that three students had been transferred out of the school.

The lawyers said Noraidah only learned of claims – including of a student being shouted at with the words “you’re a murderer” – after they began circulating on social media. 

Papar police chief superintendent Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka said last Saturday his team had found no evidence suggesting children of prominent individuals, including ministers’ families or those associated with Borneo state’s palace, were involved.

The palace had denied the allegations last Thursday, refuting social media rumours linking the case to the family of Sabah Governor Musa Aman, Malay Mail reported. 

Anwar on Sunday said he had contacted Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohd Khalid Ismail and Home Minister Saifuddin to ensure the probe was carried out thoroughly and without interference, reported Malay Mail. 

“The IGP informed me that 60 individuals have already been called to give their statements,” Anwar was quoted as saying.

NO POST MORTEM CARRIED OUT BEFORE BURIAL, SAY LAWYERS

But in another statement on Sunday, Noraidah’s legal team claimed that the investigation papers submitted to the AGC on her death are “incomplete” as the clothing and personal items that Zara wore when she was found unconscious on Jul 16 were never collected or requested. 

“We are deeply shocked by this as in our experience handling criminal trials in court, it is standard procedure for police to seize all items worn by a victim suspected of having died as a result of any criminal act for the purpose of investigation,” said the lawyers Hamid and Shahlan, as quoted by media outlet New Straits Times. 

According to them, all of Zara’s clothes and belongings were handed to Noraidah by the hospital staff on Jul 16 and are currently in the custody of a representative of a non-governmental organisation appointed to assist the family. 

“These clothes and personal items are crucial pieces of evidence that should have been forensically examined and analysed to determine whether Zara’s death involved any criminal elements,” the lawyers claimed.

They added that the police’s failure to do so raises serious concerns as to whether the investigation has been limited solely to the theories of sudden death or suicide despite multiple police reports lodged by Zara’s mother requesting possible criminal elements be examined.

“We sincerely hope (PM Anwar) will advise the Attorney-General to return the investigation file to the police and support our call for a post-mortem and an inquest to be carried out as soon as possible in order to determine the actual cause of Zara’s death, and whether any criminal elements were involved,” Hamid and Shahlan said. 

According to Sabah police commissioner Jauteh Dikun, the police have received four reports related to the case, including the latest report lodged by Zara’s mother on Sunday, Malay Mail reported.

On Jul 30, Zara’s family had lodged a police report requesting for her body to be exhumed to determine whether there was any criminal element, following the mother’s recorded telephone conversation with Zara in which she revealed that several senior students had repeatedly harassed or bullied her.

“One such student … had threatened Zara by saying, ‘If I touch you, you’ll bleed’,” the lawyers previously said.

In the same police report, her mother had expressed doubt over the alleged cause of Zara’s death that she had fallen from the third floor of a building.

“Zara’s body showed no signs of physical trauma, bruises, or injuries typically associated with a fall from such a height,” the lawyers earlier said on Jul 30, as quoted by the New Straits Times. 

“No post-mortem was carried out before Zara was buried," they said.

According to them, Noraidah believes Zara did not take her own life. 

The family reiterated their call on Sunday for her body to be exhumed immediately and a post-mortem to be conducted.

On the bruises that Noraidah now recalls seeing on her daughter’s body, they said: “Our client did not include this important information in her earlier police reports because she had completely forgotten about it … she had been overcome with grief since Jul 16 following what happened to her daughter.”