Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir exposed systemic failures in protecting children and delivering justice.
“This is not just about one child’s death. It is about whether we are willing to confront systemic failures and take real action to ensure this never happens again,” said its President Chin Shu Ying.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has ordered the exhumation of Zara’s remains for a fresh post-mortem examination, which LDP welcomed as important for establishing the truth and restoring public confidence.
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');});However, he said the incident must catalyse broader institutional reforms beyond a single investigation.
The party called for the establishment of an independent investigation panel comprising legal experts, child protection advocates, medical specialists and civil society representatives to ensure impartial oversight.
On school safety, it called for mandatory 24-hour warden coverage in all boarding facilities, closed-circuit television installation in common areas and secure access controls.
It also advocated compulsory anti-bullying education programs and annual safeguarding training for educational staff as well as confidential reporting channels for students to raise concerns without fear of reprisal.
The party’s reform agenda extends to legislative changes, including strengthened laws imposing clear accountability on educational institutions for student safety and stricter penalties for negligence or cover-ups by responsible parties.
Also mandatory public reporting of serious school incidents with accompanying action plans.