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THE Ministry of Education (MoE) has filed more than ten police reports concerning the spread of misleading content and false claims related to the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a 13-year-old student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Sabah.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the reports were made by the ministry itself in Putrajaya on the advice of its legal division, in addition to reports filed by teachers and parents in Sabah, whose children were wrongly implicated in the case via social media posts that revealed their names, images and identities.
"These falsehoods, spread widely through videos and written posts, not only endanger the emotional wellbeing of those involved, but could provoke public outrage against students and teachers," she said. "We are committed to protecting the welfare of students and school communities."
Fadhlina noted that one widely circulated video falsely claimed that Zara had sustained internal injuries after being placed in a washing machine. Such content, she said, had prompted police reports by both the MoE and parents seeking to ensure their children’s safety.
“Sensationalised speculation risks exposing students or teachers to threats or violence—particularly damaging if later investigations clear them of any wrongdoing,” she said. “The police are handling the investigation into Zara Qairina’s death, but unfortunately, misinformation has spread rapidly and recklessly.”
Zara was found critically injured and unconscious beneath her school dormitory on the morning of 16 July. She later died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu. On 31 July, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun confirmed that the possibility of bullying was being investigated, and that preliminary findings had been submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers for further action.
Fadhlina added that following the ministry’s police reports, some individuals responsible for spreading falsehoods had removed their content and ceased their activity. She called for greater sensitivity, noting the strain that ongoing speculation places on the victim’s family, as well as the mental health of affected students and staff.
“People may assume the ministry is silent, but behind the scenes, we have been actively safeguarding the wellbeing of everyone involved,” she said. “We’ve also supported the investigation process, including facilitating interviews with more than 60 school witnesses in accordance with the Child Act 2001.”
She further explained that the ministry’s standard operating procedures require police interviews with minors to be conducted in the presence of parents, a school principal, counsellor, or a representative from the Parent-Teacher Association.
“This procedure has long been in place to ensure that students, who are not criminals, are duly distressed by the investigation process. Police officers involved have also been very professional and are well aware of the provisions under the Child Act,” she said. - August 7, 2025