#SHOWBIZ: Bella Astillah: 'Let there be no more Zaras'
Bella, 31, expressed her heartbreak on Instagram, calling for accountability and better protection for students in school hostels.
"Zara passed away under unclear circumstances. It's said she was bullied, yet no one has stepped forward to take responsibility. If this happened to our own child, could we stay silent?" she wrote on social media.
As a mother and fellow Sabahan, Bella questioned why action only comes after tragedy.
"A young girl, far from home, facing pain alone. Why must it come to this before we open our eyes?"
She stressed the importance of addressing bullying and mental health seriously.
"Don't wait for another Zara. Please, monitor our children and teach them empathy, not cruelty."
Vowing to continue advocating for justice, Bella added: "Zara isn't just a name in the news. This can happen to our child too. I'll keep speaking out until justice is done. May Allah place her in the highest level of paradise."
Zara, a Form One student, was confirmed dead after receiving treatment at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu recently.
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New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Zara Qairina's death: AGC given incomplete report, say family lawyers
KOTA KINABALU: The investigation paper submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers on the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir is incomplete, according to a joint statement by the family's legal counsels. "In light of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement this morning that the investigation paper concerning the death of Zara Qairina binti Mahathir ('Zara') has been submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers, we wish to clarify the following matters regarding the clothing and personal items Zara was wearing when she was found outside the school's hostel building at dawn on July 16, 2025. "From July 17, until today, the police have never collected nor requested any of these items from our client for the purpose of investigation. "Therefore, we believe that the investigation paper submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers is incomplete," according to Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri who represented Zara's mother. According to them, all of Zara's clothing and belongings were handed over to her mother by hospital staff on July 16. These items, they said, are currently in the custody of a representative of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), who has been officially appointed as the sole representative of Zara's mother. "We are deeply shocked by this, as in our experience handling criminal trials in court, it is standard procedure for police to seize all items worn by a victim suspected of having died as a result of any criminal act, for the purpose of investigation. "These clothes and personal effects are crucial pieces of evidence that should have been forensically examined and analysed to determine whether Zara's death involved any criminal elements," said the counsels. They added that the police's failure to do so raises serious concerns as to whether the investigation has been limited solely to the theories of sudden death or suicide despite multiple police reports lodged by Zara's mother requesting investigation into possible criminal elements in her daughter's death. "In light of the above, we are of the opinion that the investigation paper submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers is incomplete, lacks comprehensiveness, and is narrowly focused. "Furthermore, no post-mortem was conducted prior to Zara's burial. "We express our deepest gratitude to the prime minister for his concern regarding Zara's case. "We sincerely hope he will advise the Attorney-General to return the investigation file to the police, and to support our call for a post-mortem and an inquest to be carried out as soon as possible in order to determine the actual cause of Zara's death, and whether any criminal elements were involved," said the counsels. Zara, who was found unconscious after allegedly falling from her school dormitory building at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan, was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQE I) at 11am on July 17. The incident went viral on social media after allegations surfaced involving bullying by the child of a minister, VIPs, and other influential figures—sparking widespread reactions from netizens. However, police have said there is no evidence so far to support these claims.
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Zara Qairina's death: AGC given incomplete report, say family lawyers
KOTA KINABALU: The investigation paper submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers on the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir is incomplete, according to a joint statement by the family's legal counsels. "In light of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement this morning that the investigation paper concerning the death of Zara Qairina binti Mahathir ('Zara') has been submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers, we wish to clarify the following matters regarding the clothing and personal items Zara was wearing when she was found at the foot of the school's hostel building at dawn on July 16, 2025. "From July 17, 2025, until today, the police have neither collected nor requested any of these items from our client for investigative purposes. "Therefore, we believe that the investigation paper submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers is incomplete," said lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri, who represent Zara's mother. Zara Qairina, a Form One student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan in Papar, was allegedly found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory at 4am on July 16 after reportedly falling from the third floor of a building.
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Criminologist: Post-mortem crucial to determine Zara Qairina's cause of death
KUALA LUMPUR: The decision not to conduct a post-mortem on the recent death of Zara Qairina Mahathir should be re-evaluated, given the many questions raised by both her family and the public. Crime analyst and criminologist Shahul Hamid Abd Rahim said that in cases involving the death of a young person with no clear medical history, performing a post-mortem is crucial to legally establish the actual cause of death. "A post-mortem should have been carried out to determine the true cause of death. "In general, death investigations prioritise post-mortems to avoid prolonged speculation or doubt from the public and family members," he said. Shahul said sudden deaths involving teenagers must be examined more thoroughly, especially when they attract public attention and raise many questions. "The public also has a right to know and will naturally question how someone so young could have died," he said. Shahul expressed support for the family's efforts to seek justice and recommended they formally apply through legal representation for permission to conduct a post-mortem. "Even though the deceased has already been buried, this is the best course of action to put an end to all speculation. "I advise the victim's mother to proceed with her intention of having a post-mortem carried out on her daughter. "Only through that can the true cause of death be confirmed," he said. He added that failing to identify the actual cause of death could lead to prolonged uncertainty and erode public trust in the authorities. Shahul said classifying a case as sudden death must be done responsibly and based on a thorough medical examination. "There are certain cases where, if the victim had a known medical history and the death can be directly linked to an existing illness, the situation is different. "However, if there is no medical history and the victim is still young, then a post-mortem should be conducted," he said. He said transparency in the investigation is not only important for the family but also crucial for maintaining public trust in the country's investigative institutions. Shahul also highlighted the need for a comprehensive investigation, especially when the case has attracted widespread attention on social media and sparked various allegations. He said that if necessary, the family could submit a formal request through legal channels for a review of the case. Zara, a Form One student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan in Papar, allegedly fell from the third floor of a building and was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory at 4am on July 16. Previously, it was reported that Zara's mother, Noraidah Lamat, 45, said her daughter's burial on the night of July 17 was carried out without a post-mortem because no one advised her to do so. She said the tragic death of her only child left her shocked and grief-stricken, unable to think clearly and only wanting her daughter to be buried immediately. However, the next day, the family began to realise there were suspicious circumstances surrounding Zara's death. The family's lawyers, Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri, said Noraidah had lodged an additional police report on July 30. She had, among others, requested that Zara's body be exhumed to hold an inquest.
