Targeting bullying: It begins with education and empathy, instilled from primary school, where children must be taught not just what bullying is, but why kindness and respect matter. — Posed photo/The Star
I WRITE today not just as a concerned citizen, but as a voice within a community that mourns deeply for the loss of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir.
On July 16, she was found unconscious near her dormitory in Papar, Sabah, and declared brain-dead the following day under deeply troubling circumstances and no witnesses to explain how she fell from the third floor. The official account is murky, but whispers of bullying have become a roar.
This is not an isolated tragedy. Just this week, in Kuala Lumpur, two university students fell to their deaths from the same condominium within hours – one of whom, a 22-year-old woman, was said to have endured prolonged harassment and social isolation from her peers.
These losses – across age groups and institutions – expose a sobering reality: bullying in Malaysia is not just schoolyard teasing. It is a culture of violence, exclusion, and despair.
A public outcry is not enough
My heart aches as I witness citizens rallying under the hashtag #Justice4Zara, as protesters demand transparency and accountability for her death.
Authorities have responded – five teenaged suspects have now been charged under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code for sending threatening or abusive communications to Zara Qairina. They have pleaded not guilty, and the next court mention is set for late September.
Worse still, investigations were faulted from the start. Local police prematurely closed the case without an autopsy or forensic analysis, prompting national criticisms of negligence and possible cover-ups. This is not justice – it is a denial of the victim and of every student who looks to us for protection.
A law that speaks is better than silence
There is, at least, one sign of progress: Malaysia’s anti-bullying law came into force on July 11, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if a bullying incident results in death. Yet legislation alone – especially when reactionary – is not enough.
To be effective, the law must be supported by a holistic framework that goes beyond punishment. It begins with education and empathy, instilled from primary school, where children must be taught not just what bullying is, but why kindness and respect matter.
Equally crucial is the creation of whistleblower protection for students who dare to speak up, coupled with anonymous reporting channels that parents, teachers, and peers can trust.
At the same time, transparency in investigations must be upheld, especially when minors or schools are involved, so that every student’s life is treated with the solemn gravity it deserves.
Teachers and administrators cannot afford to dismiss signs of intimidation, isolation, or aggression as mere “child’s play”. Early intervention is often the difference between safety and tragedy.
Equally, parents carry a vital role. They must remain attentive to changes in their children’s moods, behaviours, or social patterns – whether sudden withdrawal, anxiety before school, or unexplained injuries. Silence or subtle behavioural shifts may be a cry for help that should never be ignored.
Finally, there must be comprehensive support systems – including counselling, mental health care, and restorative programmes – that address the needs of both victims and perpetrators, ensuring that healing and accountability go hand in hand.
Equally important, authorities and ministries cannot afford to behave defensively when such tragedies occur. Too often we see immediate denial, shifting of blame, or insistence that “procedures were followed”. That is not leadership – it is avoidance.
The Education, Higher Learning, and Health Ministries, together with enforcement agencies, must be proactive, conducting preventive programmes, ensuring accountability, and publicly acknowledging failures when they happen. Defensiveness erodes trust; proactive measures build it.
We can do better. We must
As I reflect on these heartbreaking stories, I am reminded that our schools are meant to be sanctuaries of growth, fields of learning, and places where children feel they belong – not places where they walk in fear. Parents must be assured that their children are safe at school.
If we wait for more tragedies, we will have waited too long. Change cannot rest on hash tags alone. It needs laws that are enforced, hearts that are educated, and systems that respond – not react.
Let Zara Qairina’s memory not be lost in headlines and hash tags. Let it fuel systemic reform.
Let all our children, from dormitories in Sabah to university halls in Kuala Lumpur, know they matter, their safety matters, and their lives are worth protecting.
Senior lawyer Dato Sri Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos is the founder and chairman of Yayasan Rapera, an NGO that promotes community-based learning activities and compassionate thinking among Malaysians. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
