Latest news with #SMATunDatuMustafa
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Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Social media speculation poses risks to children: Pamela
Published on: Thursday, August 14, 2025 Published on: Thu, Aug 14, 2025 By: Nikko Fabian Text Size: Pamela urged the public to allow the police and relevant authorities to conduct their investigation without interference from social media conjecture. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Wanita MCA Chief Datuk Dr Pamela Yong appealed for responsible social media use, highlighting the grave risks posed to innocent children by online speculation and unverified information. She voiced deep concerns that the pursuit of justice for Zara Qairina could inadvertently endanger other children or be exploited for political purposes. 'As a mother, I find the circumstances surrounding Zara Qairina's death deeply troubling. While a thorough and transparent investigation is essential, we must ensure that the fervour for justice does not compromise the safety and emotional well-being of other children,' she said. She emphasised the particular vulnerability of Zara Qairina's friends and fellow students at SMA Tun Datu Mustafa, who are struggling to cope with grief and confusion. Pamela cautioned against the irresponsible use of social media which, she noted, can transform from a tool for awareness into a source of immense harm. 'It is crucial to resist the temptation to spread rumours or take matters into our own hands. Unverified information can inflict significant emotional damage on innocent children, making them collateral damage in our collective anger,' she warned. Pamela urged the public to allow the police and relevant authorities to conduct their investigation without interference from social media conjecture. She stressed that while achieving justice for Zara Qairina is imperative, it should not come at the expense of further traumatising the young lives affected by this tragedy. 'Our compassion must extend to all the young individuals touched by this heartbreaking event. Let us pursue justice responsibly, ensuring that no further harm befalls these children,' Panela concluded. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Don't delay on Zara Qairina probe, urges Shafie
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has called for a swift probe and comprehensive action taken on Zara Qairina Mahathir's case. 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.
The Star
07-08-2025
- The Star
Mother of Zara Qairina to hand over daughter's phone to police
KOTA KINABALU: Noraidah Lamat, the mother of the deceased Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, will hand over Zara's phone containing videos and audio recordings to the police. Counsels Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri stated that the phone will be handed over this evening. "This is to help the police complete their investigation into the case," said Hamid. He thanked the Attorney General's Chambers for returning the complete initial probe report to the police and expressed hope that several orders were included when handing back the report. Among their requests was that a senior investigating officer from Bukit Aman conduct the investigation, said Hamid. "We also call for Zara's exhumation for an autopsy and an inquest to determine whether foul play was involved in Zara's death," he added. Zara died on July 16 after she allegedly fell from the third floor of her school hostel at SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar.
The Star
06-08-2025
- The Star
Stop the speculation on Zara Qairina case, lawyers urge
KOTA KINABALU: Lawyers acting on behalf of deceased student Zara Qairina Mahathir's mother are asking for speculation on the case to stop. Counsels Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri said in a joint statement that rather than sharing unverified information through videos, 'narrations' and other online content, it was better to provide the police with credible information. 'First of all, we want to address a video circulating online where a woman was narrating how Zara was put into a washing machine. This is a speculation,' said Hamid. 'Our client, who is Zara's mother, never shared such information with anyone. We want the woman to provide that information to the police to investigate,' he said. Hamid said a so-called chronology of when Zara was brought to the hospital (8am on July 16) after her alleged fall from the third floor of a hostel building was also speculative. 'That chronology-like information did not come from our client,' he stressed. Secondly, circulation of pictures of students who allegedly had links to Zara's deaths, with negative statements on them, is a crime under the Children's Act 2001 and the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, he warned. Hamid said the spreading of names, photos and personal details of students was also an offence under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and MCMC Act 1998. 'Therefore, we urge that the spread of this information and videos be stopped immediately. 'Those who have circulated or shared such information online, we urge that you take it down immediately,' he said. Hamid said speculations would only make things worse and add more stress to the family affected. He said anyone with information pertaining to Zara's death and case is advised to provide them to the police to facilitate investigations. Zara, a Form One student, had died after she was believed to have fallen off her hostel in SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar, on July 16.
The Star
03-08-2025
- The Star
Bullying is not a rite of passage, say educators
PETALING JAYA: Bullying in schools should never be condoned, as it is a crime and not a tradition to be passed on, say educators. Recent cases, such as that of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, have sparked concerns that school authorities tend to turn a blind eye to bullying and believe it's all part of peer play. Zara Qairina fell to her death from her hostel building at SMA Tun Datu Mustafa in Papar, Sabah, on July 16 and police have just completed the probe into her case for alleged bullying. While Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying in its junior science colleges (MRSM), counselling teachers from secondary schools said that there are already standard operating procedures set by the Education Ministry to deal with bullying. 'At Mara, we have zero-tolerance for bullying. My tagline is: 'You Touch, You Go',' said Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. Mara has a pilot project to hire retired army and police personnel as full-time wardens in selected MRSMs, starting with MRSM Besut and Balik Pulau on Aug 15, to help ease the burden of teachers in hostels, he added. Mara is also reinforcing its value-based education through a framework that shapes how students live, lead and interact. Every student also gets regular check-ins with teachers and counsellors and all cases must be investigated urgently and transparently, Asyraf said. 'Communities must reject the notion that bullying is a 'rite of passage'. If a child is afraid to sleep in a dormitory, then we have failed. Not just as educators, but as a society,' Asyraf added. Dyana, a secondary school counselling teacher in a northern state, said that there are five actions that need to be taken within 24 hours of a bullying case. 'We first contact the parents or guardians of the students involved – both the perpetrator and the victim,' said Dyana, who has been a teacher for 22 years. The students involved are then sent to a government clinic or hospital for examination to assess if they have sustained any physical injuries or emotional distress. 'We must then record the bullying misconduct in the Student Discipline Management System (SSDM),' she said before an initial report is made in accordance with an Education Ministry circular on student discipline Issues. The initial report is sent to the district education office, the state education department and the Education Ministry, said Dyana, a pseudonym as teachers are not allowed to speak to the media. If the victim's parents neglect the child's condition, the Child Act 2001 empowers the principal to report the matter to the Social Welfare Department for further action, she said. Another teacher in Selangor said that the characteristics of a bully include the desire to dominate and control others, and lack of empathy. 'Sometimes it is a way to cope with their own emotional or mental distress,' said the teacher, Rajini (not her real name), who has served in a secondary school for the past decade. 'Family and environmental issues can also turn someone into a bully. They usually have poor social skills, lack social interaction and are usually short-tempered and rule-breakers.' Bully victims often also have family issues, forcing them to humiliate themselves in order to be accepted by their peers. 'Pressure to be accepted by their peers may also cause someone to either become a bully or a victim, for fear of being isolated or ostracised,' she added.
