Zara vigil: Grieving mother in Lahad Datu echoes family's plea for justice

Summary

• A mother whose son died from violent bullying in school says she identifies with the mother of Zara Qairina Mahathir.

• Siti Hamidah says after Nazmie’s death, she was grateful for the support from those who stood by her.

A grieving mother whose son was killed in a bullying incident at a vocational college last year broke down in tears as she addressed a vigil in Lahad Datu for 13-year-old schoolgirl Zara Qairina Mahathir.

The gathering was one of three Justice for Zara vigils held across Sabah’s east coast towns of Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Tawau (above) last night, drawing thousands in a united call for accountability over Zara’s death.

While Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, was not present in Lahad Datu, 46-year-old Siti Hamidah Jumari – whose son Nazmie Aizzat Narul died in a violent bullying attack in March last year – said she knew exactly what Noraidah was going through.

“I don’t know what to say, but what Zara’s mother feels, I feel too,” she told the crowd, her voice faltering before she broke into tears.

“We send our children to school hoping for their future.

“But when we see him lying lifeless on the floor, his body already stiff… as a mother, I can’t describe it,” she said.

Nazmie, 17, was killed at Lahad Datu Vocational College between 9pm on March 21 and 7.38am on March 22, 2024. Thirteen male students, aged between 16 and 19, have been charged with his murder.

A forensic report found 107 injuries on his body – 102 bruises and five abrasions – believed to be caused by blunt force trauma to the chest and soft tissues. The case is ongoing at the Tawau High Court, where Siti Hamidah was called last November to identify photographs of her son’s body.

‘No one held responsible’

Raising her son alone from when he was eight months old, Siti Hamidah said, “I was both mother and father to him. When he died, I was grateful for the support I received from those who stood by me.”

“With their help, Alhamdulillah, the bullies who attacked my son were caught. It’s different for Zara’s case, where to this day, no one has been held responsible.”

Her voice cracked again as she prayed for justice and peace for Zara, “whether in this world or the hereafter”.

“Three days after sending him to college, I got a call saying something had happened. When I arrived, he was already lying stiff on the floor. There was nothing I could do.

“Maybe our children can’t come back, but we still need justice. Raising a child is not easy, even from young. When a mosquito bites, we take them to the doctor.

“Yet, in an instant, they can be taken from us like this,” she said.

Justice for Zara

Zara was found unconscious at about 4am on July 16 after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school hostel. She died the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I in Kota Kinabalu.

The case has gained national attention under the hashtag #JusticeForZara, amid widespread allegations of bullying and growing concern over student safety.

Police have taken statements from about 60 witnesses, including students, parents and school staff

Sabah police chief Jauteh Dikun has denied claims that individuals linked to influential figures were involved, but has not ruled out the possibility of bullying.

Several Sabah political figures, including those from the Istana Negeri, have also denied any connection to individuals accused of harassing Zara before her death.

Noraidah has lodged two police reports, including one seeking an inquest, the exhumation of her daughter’s body for a fresh post-mortem, and a deeper investigation.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers has since ordered police to exhume Zara’s remains for a second post-mortem, following a review of the preliminary investigation report submitted by the police.

The AGC concluded that further work was needed to ensure “all aspects of the investigation are carried out thoroughly.”

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