Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar pledged to continue championing justice for Zara Qairina.
The Form One student of SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha was found unconscious in a drain at a dormitory block in Kinarut, Papar, on July 16 and succumbed to her severe bodily injuries at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) 1 on Nov 17. There have been allegations of bullying.
“Those responsible for Zara’s death would be held accountable,” Nurul Izzah said in her Instagram account after she met Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, Wednesday.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});Nurul Izzah revealed that she first travelled from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu two weeks ago but was unable to meet Noraidah as she was not ready to receive visitors at the time.
“I’m grateful that today (Wednesday) I was given the opportunity to offer my condolences to her in person,” she said. The former Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament, also a mother, described the grief (of Noraidah) as unimaginable.
“What mother wouldn’t be heartbroken when losing her child forever? She only wanted to see Zara grow up healthy, cheerful and full of life.
“Zara was like a daughter to all of us. She was polite, possessed noble character, and held firmly to her faith. Her passing has united us all, crossing boundaries and differences.
“Her passing has united us all, crossing boundaries and differences,” she said.
“Every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment, free from fear and threats. It is our shared responsibility to remain vigilant, protect, and ensure that tragedies like this never happen again,” she said.
She added that the public should follow updates on the case through announcements by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
Nurul Izzah also called on the public to keep praying and striving so that justice and truth prevail, and that Zara’s soul will be placed among the righteous.