Don't delay on Zara Qairina probe, urges Shafie
The Semporna MP said that he did not want to accuse any parties, but the authorities need to solve the case immediately.
"Please do not delay whatever investigation is involved. Action must be taken and the public must be informed," he said while debating the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in Parliament on Wednesday (Aug 13).
The Warisan president said that there is a "vacuum of speculation" with many allegations out in the public.
"If this is not solved, it will get worse," he said.
Zara Qairina died a day after she was found lying unconscious below her hostel building at SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar, on July 16.
Shafie also said that he had written to the Education Minister regarding the situation of schools in Sabah.
"I have listed all the dilapidated schools, some are built using wood, their toilet is not clean and even the teachers' room is not proper.
"I don't even want to talk about electricity or lights.
"Please go to the ground for God's sake. They are Malaysians and our young generation," said the former Sabah chief minister.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
10 minutes ago
- The Star
RM1.12bil in losses to online scam in first half of 2025, says Home Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: Online scams in Malaysia have caused a staggering RM1.12bil in financial losses in just the first half of 2025 alone, says the Home Ministry. Earlier on August 5, the Digital Ministry said online scam financial losses in 2024 reached a worrying RM1.58bil, a 2.53% increase from the year prior. The Ministry said the government would further intensify its efforts to curb online scams in the country, which include strengthening the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC). This would involve the creation of new positions involving various schemes, taking into account the establishment of the 24/7 Network function under a single governance entity. 'Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also agreed for the NSRC to be placed under the direct supervision of the Home Ministry. 'It has been decided that it will be led by the police,' the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Wednesday (Aug 13). The ministry was responding to a question from Yuneswaran Ramaraj (PH-Segamat) on the amount of money lost by Malaysians due to online scams and the steps being taken to address the issue. It also said that the feasibility of drafting a Cybercrime Bill is currently being studied as part of efforts to combat cybercrime in the country. The ministry added that the SemakMule portal, which enables the public to check bank account numbers, phone numbers and companies used by scammers, currently has 265,869 bank accounts, 211,265 phone numbers, and 12,724 company names recorded.
The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Keep quiet if you continue, AIDS!' — Rafizi's wife threatened after son attacked
PETALING JAYA: Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli (pic) today revealed that his wife received an anonymous threat reading 'keep quiet if you continue, AIDS' the same day after their teenage son was allegedly attacked with a syringe – an incident he described as 'clearly an act of intimidation' linked to his political work. The former economy minister said the threat was sent twice from the same number — first at 1.12am, then again at 11.02am today via WhatsApp with syringe emojis added. He has since handed the number to the police. 'This is clearly intimidation. I have been through lawsuits, detention, and losing my post. In my career, this is the first time I've received threats. 'Perhaps they think it is easier to influence me through my wife and son,' he told a press conference in Parliament. Rafizi said his son was rushed to Universiti Putra Malaysia Hospital immediately after the attack for observation and blood tests. Initial checks found no traces of poison or drugs, but doctors could not rule out viral infection. 'There are three possibilities — drugs or poison, something viral like hepatitis or HIV, or simply a blank injection. 'For viruses, we will only know in six months after a series of blood tests every six weeks,' he said, adding that his son appeared in good spirits but would be closely monitored. He said the attack appeared well-planned, suggesting two to three days of surveillance to time the moment precisely when his wife stepped out of their new home. CCTV footage and witness accounts have also been handed to police. Rafizi believes the motive is tied to a scandal he began investigating after meeting whistleblowers last week. 'This is an attempt to shut me up. Knowing me, I will dig and dig once I start. 'I believe this is their way to make me move on and skip the matter altogether,' he said, declining to reveal details to avoid jeopardising investigations. Before this, Rafizi said, he had never received threats directly. 'When I start speaking on something, whistleblowers will come forward. After last Wednesday's meeting with one, this happened. Whether coincidence or causation, that is for the police to decide — but to me, there's a clear link.' He vowed to continue his routine and political work despite the incident. 'We have gone through many hardships over the last 15 years, but this is a different dimension because it involves our child. The authorities must be given space to do their work,' he added.
Focus Malaysia
10 minutes ago
- Focus Malaysia
How Zara's untimely tragic death can come back to haunt GRS-PH election chances
THE death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir in a Papar boarding school dormitory should have been treated as an urgent matter of justice from the very start. Instead, the weeks of silence, the absence of an immediate autopsy, and the eventual need to exhume her body under orders from the Attorney-General have given this case a political life of its own. It is a story that could prove costly for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and its federal partner Pakatan Harapan (PH). Public outrage has not only refused to die down but spread across Sabah's urban centres and beyond. The protests in Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Tawau, Semporna and Labuan drew thousands, united by grief and anger over perceived mishandling of the case. Many are not just asking for justice for Zara but also questioning whether powerful interests are being protected. While no evidence has surfaced to prove elite interference, the perception alone is politically damaging. This is especially so when a state election must be held soon in a climate where no political parties or blocs are expected to outright win. The truth is, every fresh protest and every social media post hints at a cover-up and this makes the ground riskier for GRS. Holding polls in the shadow of this case risks turning the election into a referendum on the government's accountability and moral authority. Rough patch Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's administration was already dealing with a credibility gap on bread-and-butter issues like water and electricity disruptions. Now, the Zara case has handed the opposition an emotive, high-visibility issue that resonates with both urban and semi-urban voters. For PH which is teaming up with GRS in the polls, the political calculus is just as tricky. The former's power base lies in Sabah's urban areas where political awareness is high and anger over Zara's death is most visible. Urban voters may punish PH for perceived cover-up of the tragedy, if not for sheer incompetence in managing the issue. To rub salt in the wound, the Education Ministry recently announced a RM8.4 mil plan to give five million pupils Jalur Gemilang badges. This only reinforces the view that the ministry has its priorities misplaced when it should be focusing on tackling bullying in schools – speculated to be the reason for Zara's death. Opponents such as Warisan and even UMNO can be expected to pounce on the issue. They will position themselves as defenders of justice and truth while painting GRS and PH as complicit in dragging their feet by hinting at cover-ups. As the call for Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to step down over failure to uphold justice for Zara gathers momentum, the issue could also deepen the unease among GRS' traditional supporters who are already uncomfortable with the coalition teaming up with a Peninsular-based bloc. It is still possible for the GRS-PH bloc to contain the political fall-out but the window is closing. A swift, transparent investigation that delivers clear accountability would help. Anything less will feed the narrative of a political class protecting its own. Zara's death has already moved from being a criminal investigation to a symbol of political and institutional trust. For GRS and PH, it is not just about solving a case. It is about convincing voters that the government stands above vested interests. Fail that test and Zara's name may reverberate in every ceramah, every campaign leaflet – and possibly, be cited as a contributing factor for GRS-PH's electoral defeat in the post-mortem findings. – Aug 14,2025 Main image credit: Sinar Daily
