KUALA LUMPUR: A group of protesters marched towards Parliament in solidarity with and seeking justice for the late Form One student Zara Qairina on Tuesday (Aug 12).
Organised by the Secretariat for Zara Solidarity, the protest began at Tugu Negara in the morning but was halted by police at the road leading to Parliament.
Chants of “Justice for Zara” were heard as protestors sought to deliver a memorandum with demands for immediate changes to the education system to prevent bullying.
Leading the protest was Liga Mahasiswa Malaysia coordinator Alyaah Hani, 22, who said Zara Qairina’s tragic death reflected a long-term systemic failure of the education system in dealing with bullying.
“This failure involves negligence at the school level, weaknesses in the Education Ministry's administration, as well as gaps and inefficiencies in the investigations conducted by the Home Ministry and the police.
“It is clear that it is no longer merely just a matter of student discipline, but also a failure of the student protection system.
“If not addressed, this will raise questions about the competence and accountability of our institutions entrusted with ensuring public safety,” Alyaah said during a media press conference Tuesday.
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The group of protestors were then greeted by a group of MPs from both sides of the divide, who officially received their memorandum.
This included Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu), Chiew Choon Man (PH-Miri), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) and a few others.
The protesters demanded comprehensive reform of the national education system and immediate engagement sessions with civil society to develop clear guidelines for addressing bullying.
They also called for regular anti-bullying training to be mandatory for all teachers and administrators.
The secretariat also called for the Home Ministry and police to establish a National Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate Zara Qairina's death as well as other bullying cases over the last 10 years.
“An open investigation must also be conducted into all individuals involved to ensure that the law is enforced fairly without exceptions.
“Any findings and regular updates must be presented openly to the people, including the possibility of any criminal elements,” Alyaah added.
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.
Her sudden death sparked widespread reactions on social media, including allegations of bullying.
