KOTA KINABALU: Sipitang Member of Parliament Datuk Matbali Musah has urged the authorities to expedite the investigation into the death of a female student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha, Limauan, Papar, who is believed to have fallen from the third floor of the school’s dormitory.
Zara Qairina Mahathir, 13, a first-year student from Sipitang, was found in critical condition under the dormitory building around 3 a.m. on July 16, before being rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) for further treatment.
However, the victim was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. the following day.
While taking part in debating the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, Matbali stated that the victim’s family has repeatedly requested the relevant authorities to speed up the investigation into the case.
He said that they also asked for the investigation report to be communicated to them to thoroughly clarify the matter.
“If there are elements of crime in this case, then those responsible must be brought to justice,” he said, referring to several reports linking the issue to bullying.
Matbali also suggested several measures to address the issue of bullying among students.
These include establishing an Anti-Bullying Special Unit in every District Education Office (PPD) that not only waits for reports but also actively engages in regular fieldwork, researching, monitoring, and listening to students’ voices.
He stated that Qairina’s case is a tragic story that continues to bring tears in Sabah, leaving a deep emotional scar.
“What is even more heartbreaking is that this case only received attention after it was too late,” he said.
At the end of the debate, Matbali recited Al-Fatihah for Qairina, hoping that from the pain of her story, awareness would arise to prevent such incidents from happening again.
