This is the first time that Malaysia has seen such a large-scale civil rights action, the first of its kind in Malaysia. Tens of thousands of Sabahans took to the streets of Sandakan, Tawau, and Lahad Datu of their own accord to demand justice for a young girl named Zara Qairina Mahathir. People held up banners and chanted, “Justice for Zara!” They even composed a sorrowful song about Zara that is being sung all over Sabah. Thirteen-year-old Zara was a student at a religious boarding school. To her parents, teachers, and classmates, she was a well-behaved student. However, on July 16, she was found unconscious after a fall from her dormitory building. She was taken to the hospital but died from her injuries. The initial police report stated that Zara fell from the third floor of the dorm and that there was nothing suspicious about the case. The school did not conduct an investigation and the principal even told Zara’s mother not to pursue the matter. But the case was not that simple. Zara’s mother claimed that Zara had repeatedly complained to her that older students at the school were bullying her and that she was afraid to go to school. A classmate of Zara also claimed that before the fall, they saw Zara huddled in a corner, seemingly injured. Another student reported hearing a commotion. Zara’s family also found many wounds, bruises, and swelling on her body, which were unusual. However, the police did not take further action or perform an autopsy. Zara’s mother didn’t give up. She provided the police with a voice recording of Zara’s phone call where she claimed she was being bullied and collected information on other students who had been bullied. She also hired a lawyer to request that authorities reopen the investigation and apply for an exhumation and autopsy. The Attorney-General’s Chambers re-examined the case, returned the original Zara case report to the Sabah police, and ordered an exhumation and autopsy. The next day, protest rallies appeared in various towns across Sabah to support Zara’s family and demand justice for her. Why has the Zara incident attracted so much attention, even leading to street protests? The reason is that Zara’s death has too many unanswered questions while the school, police and Ministry of Education have not handled them appropriately. People are aware of the school’s bullying record, but the police did not conduct a thorough investigation. Despite the wounds and bruises on her body, the police didn’t perform an autopsy. Rumours are also rampant that Zara was put in a large washing machine, soaked in water, and spun in the drum. The school adopted a “peace-at-all-costs” attitude. While students and parents named several students suspected of bullying Zara and provided a list of habitual bullies, the school did not take action. As for the Ministry of Education, its typical response was to leave the matter to the police. The Minister of Education, Fadhlina Sidek, even warned the public not to spread “rumours.” These […]
4月前
更多Zara Qairina
