No compromise on Zara's death - Education Ministry

PARLIAMENT | The Education Ministry will not compromise on the cause of death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir and will not protect any parties involved.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the ministry is prepared to cooperate with the police to assist in the investigation.

He said the ministry is leaving it to the police to conduct a full investigation into the case.

“The ministry will not compromise on any issues related to bullying. The ministry has never protected and will never protect anyone.

“As has been stated at all levels and at all times, the ministry has been and remains ready to cooperate with the police to assist in all investigations into this case,” Wong said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Wong was responding to a supplementary question from Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna).

Shafie had asked about Zara Qairina’s case, which has drawn significant public attention, and expressed hope that there would be no attempts to protect certain parties.

Various individuals had since denied alleged links to Zara's death, including Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Arifin Arif and Deputy Higher Education Minister Mustapha Sakmud.

Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah had also reportedly lodged a police report against social media postings that falsely quoted him as having commented on the case.

Post-mortem done

Yesterday, Zara’s remains underwent a post-mortem at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I, which concluded at about 7.30pm.

Her body was later brought out around 9.30pm and transported back to the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Mesapol, Sipitang - about 130km from Kota Kinabalu - for reburial.

Last Friday, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said in a statement that Zara’s remains needed to be exhumed to allow for a post-mortem to be carried out.

The AGC said there was a need for further investigation by the Royal Malaysia Police to ensure that all aspects of the probe could be thoroughly conducted.

Zara, 13, was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I in Kota Kinabalu on July 17.

Reporting by Haspaizi Zain, Hariz Mohd, Qistina Nadia Dzulkarnain, Dania Kamal Aryf

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