KUALA LUMPUR — The investigation into the death of 13-year-old student Zara Qairina Mahathir has uncovered elements of bullying, neglect and sexual harassment, the Home Minister told parliament today.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police had recorded statements from 195 witnesses, including the Form One pupil’s hostel mates, and gathered evidence such as her personal diary.
“Yes, there are elements of bullying. That is clear,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat. “There are also elements of neglect as she had complained to the school. So the police are looking into the latter.”
Saifuddin added that Zara’s diary provided crucial insight into her final days.
“We opened her diary, we read what she wrote. We know her last movements, where she was at 11pm, 10pm, what happened in the dorm, at 1am where she was.
“All of that is corroborative evidence. It is important because it establishes her level of thought, her mental process at the time,” he said.
The minister stressed there was no attempt to conceal the truth. He dismissed speculation linking Zara’s death to high-profile individuals or claims that she had been forced into a washing machine.
“Claims of attempted cover-ups and manipulation are very serious allegations which do not reflect the reality on the ground in terms of what the authorities have been doing,” he said.
He acknowledged there had been suspected non-compliance with standard operating procedures in the early stages of the probe but insisted this did not compromise its integrity.
The investigation paper was submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers this morning, he confirmed.
Zara was found unconscious on July 16 at around 4am after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school hostel in Papar, Sabah. She died the following day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
Police had initially classified the case as sudden death. However, last week Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation chief, M Kumar, said it was being treated as a criminal matter, with bullying among the possible factors.
Saifuddin said he chose to address the matter in parliament as lawmakers had repeatedly raised concerns about the case. — August 18, 2025