PETALING JAYA: There should be no knee-jerk reaction following the tragic death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, says Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab.
“We cannot continue to have knee-jerk reactions when tragedy strikes. Proper procedures, preventive measures and accountability mechanisms must be firmly set in place,” he said in a statement.
He said that the Malaysian Bar is ready to work with the authorities in designing and implementing measures to address bullying.
“With more than 24,000 members across the nation, the Malaysian Bar can contribute meaningfully, including through nationwide school engagement programmes, awareness campaigns and holding talks at all educational institutions.”
He said the Zara Qairina case revealed that despite greater public awareness and repeated calls for reform, incidents of bullying in schools persist with alarming regularity.
“The very spaces meant to nurture young minds too often expose them to intimidation, violence and neglect,” he said, adding that the impact of bullying on the young is even more profound and lasting.
“Children are in the formative stages of psychological, social and moral development.
“Thus, exposure to sustained bullying can lead to lifelong trauma, disrupted education, social withdrawal, self-harm and even suicide,” he said.
On the preliminary findings from the recent post-mortem of the 13-year-old girl, Mohamad Ezri described it as giving rise to several disturbing questions over apparent procedural failures.
Among them, he said, was the lack of an immediate post-mortem despite visible injuries, complaints and warning signs from the victim and alleged harassment within the school environment, which were left unaddressed.
Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the inquest looking into the death of Zara Qairina should be independent and transparent.
Asyraf Wajdi said the party was deeply saddened and distressed by the tragedy, adding that weaknesses in how the case was handled had caused further disappointment.
“Umno is deeply grieved and truly pained by the tragedy of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death.
“The handling of this case, which appears to have been very weak and not in line with usual procedures and SOP, as acknowledged by the police, is most disappointing,” he said in a statement after the party’s supreme council meeting on Wednesday night.
He said Umno hoped the inquest would be conducted independently and transparently in accordance with the law to ensure justice for the victim.
In a statement yesterday, MIC vice-president Datuk T. Murugiah said that the Zara Qairina case is part of the long list of tragic cases in the country where students have become victims of peer abuse.
“These cases prove that bullying is a serious problem that must be addressed urgently and comprehensively,” he said.
He said that a whole-nation approach must be taken to address the recurring problem.
“Bullying is not a trivial matter. It is a social crime that can destroy our children’s future.”
