Kuala lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reminded all parties not to turn the death of any bullying victim into a political weapon. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said that using the death of a bullying victim for deception and incitement is a completely unacceptable act.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar highlighted the issue of misinformation on social media, citing a recent case where an individual falsely claiming to be a pathologist spread misleading information about the post-mortem of Zara Qairina Mahathir. This, Anwar stated, has confused the public, including his own acquaintances. He emphasized the inappropriateness of using someone’s death to further political agendas through falsehoods and incitement.
Anwar addressed this matter during his speech at the Prime Minister’s Monthly Assembly with the staff of the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM). Present at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
The Prime Minister acknowledged potential shortcomings in the investigation of Zara Qairina’s death in Sabah on July 17. He mentioned delays and other issues but assured that authorities are working diligently to address these as transparently as possible. Anwar, along with Deputy Prime Ministers Fadillah and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has been proactive in ensuring a thorough investigation.
Anwar also spoke against the culture of bullying, which he described as both psychological and physical abuse. He stressed that it must be eradicated due to its severe societal impact. He referred to several cases, including the deaths of Zara Qairina in Sabah and Faris Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman in Kelantan, as instances of bullying that need urgent attention.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil stated that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, alongside the police, is working to identify a TikTok user falsely claiming to be a surgeon involved in the post-mortem of Zara Qairina. The Ministry of Health confirmed that this individual is not a recognized medical professional.
Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17. She was found unconscious in a drain near the hostel of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar at 4 am on July 16.