KALABAKAN: Sabah PAS Deputy Commissioner Ahmad Dullah said the mystery surrounding the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir — who reportedly fell from the third floor of SMK Agama Tun Mustapha in Papar on July 17 but believed to have been bullied — must serve as a wake-up call.
She was found unconscious in the school drain at 3am but died the following day in Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
He said in the Zara case an independent and transparent investigation is necessary in the wake of disturbing allegations that she was repeatedly bullied and emotionally distressed due to harassment by a senior student who went by the nickname of “Kak Wana.”
“The night before the incident, Zara told her family, ‘I’m really scared Kak Wana will get mad…’,” he said in a statement. He did not reveal the source of this information.
He described the case as a failure of the dormitory student protection and one which raised serious questions about school safety and accountability.
“What has our system neglected? No CCTV in the dormitory, no immediate police report, and the family claimed they were prevented from filing one because the school said they would ‘handle it’ themselves.
“Worse still, no early intervention despite Zara often expressing her emotional distress. This is a systemic failure — not just a disciplinary issue,” he said.
Ahmad also called for an immediate end to the culture of fear among junior students toward seniors, often tolerated as “boarding school tradition.”
He said this so-called “tradition”, prevalent in many school dormitories across the country, can lead to extreme bullying if not taken seriously by school administrators.
Citing a 2023 University of Malaya study, Ahmad noted that one in three boarding school students experienced physical or emotional bullying, but over 70pc never reported it for fear of retaliation or being seen as weak.
As a member of the Children’s Court Advisory Panel, he reminded that the law provides clear protections for children.
“Section 17 of the Child Act 2001 ensures that every child has the right to live in a safe environment, free from abuse.
“In cases of severe bullying, perpetrators can be investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code (causing hurt) or Section 506 (criminal intimidation), while schools, as registered guardians, can also face civil action for negligence,” he added.
PAS Sabah listed several demands to prevent similar tragedies, including a full safety audit of all boarding schools — especially Islamic religious ones.
These include the comprehensive implementation of the Education Ministry’s Child Protection Code, transparent reporting systems, and strict action against any student, warden, or school official found to be negligent or complicit in covering up bullying cases.
“All investigations must be thorough and independent — with no excuses to delay justice under the pretext of awaiting post-mortem results,” Ahmad said.
“This time, a young child didn’t get the chance to speak. Our condolences to Zara’s family. May justice be served, and the truth not be hidden,” he said.
