Alor Setar MP upset after motion to discuss Zara Qairina case in Parliament rejected

The Star

11 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden said he was disappointed over the rejection of his motion to discuss the case of Zara Qairina Mahathir in Parliament.
"I proposed last week to discuss this case in detail in Parliament, but it was rejected with the reason that it will be addressed by ministers during the winding-up session of the 13th Malaysia Plan debate.
"I'm not comfortable with that. The session is limited, and this issue has caused public unease. It deserves a full discussion," he said in a press conference at the Parliament media centre here on Monday (Aug 11).
Zara Qairina's case has drawn national attention following the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, which involved allegations of bullying.
Her case has also raised concerns about the safety of schools.
The Perikatan Nasional leader also questioned why a post-mortem was not immediately conducted when it was confirmed the girl had died.
"Until recently, the body had to be exhumed. This created some unease, but we understand the need to follow the procedure of law and investigation.
"This delay raises questions about whether there is something to hide. The minister should clarify why the investigation did not follow proper procedures," he said.
Despite public interest and concern, Afnan Hamimi said the case has seen no arrests or remand even after 60 individuals were questioned, highlighting a perceived disparity in law enforcement.
"It's been four weeks with no arrests or remands. Is there insufficient evidence?" he asked.
Afnan Hamimi further expressed concern over claims that teachers in Sabah were instructed not to comment on the issue, questioning if such an alleged gag order was real.
"As a father, I'm losing trust in our schools, and I'm not alone. The minister assures us that schools are safe, but this is a serious case."
He proposed appointing full-time school wardens immediately.
He also suggested conducting internal audits and installing CCTV, urging the allocation of a budget for these measures to ensure safety.
Afnan Hamimi also called for the enactment of anti-bullying legislation, as bullying cases continue to trend and stressed that such behaviour is unacceptable in a civilised society.
Lastly, as an immediate measure, he advocated for the establishment of a special Cabinet committee, stating the need for a dedicated team to tackle such issues swiftly.
"This isn't about politics; it's about humanity. We need to restore public confidence," he added.
On Aug 8, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) instructed the immediate exhumation and post-mortem of deceased Form One student Zara Qairina by the police.
Zara Qairina had been pronounced dead at a hospital in Sabah on July 17, a day after she reportedly fell from the third floor of her school dormitory.
On Monday, lawyer Shahlan Jufri who is representing the girl's family confirmed that there were injuries on the body of the 13-year-old, following his observations during the post-mortem process at the Forensic Department of Queen Elizabeth I Hospital here on Sunday (Aug 10).