Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned against politicising the deaths of bullying victims, stressing that such tragedies must not be weaponised for political gain.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said using the death of victims for deception and incitement was wholly unacceptable.
“Recently, someone claimed on social media to be a pathologist and gave false descriptions about Zara Qairina Mahathir’s autopsy. This misled millions of people, including friends and family who even asked me what was going on. The victim has already died, yet her death is being turned into a political weapon. This is unacceptable,” he said.
He was speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly assembly in Putrajaya, attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Fadillah Yusof and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, and Public Service Department director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
Anwar admitted there may have been shortcomings and delays in handling the case of Zara Qairina, who died in Sabah on July 17, but stressed that authorities are working to ensure transparency.
He also called for an end to bullying in schools, universities, workplaces and government agencies, describing it as both psychological and physical abuse.
“Recent tragedies, such as those involving Zara in Sabah and Faris in Kelantan, highlight the severe social impact of bullying. It must be stopped, regardless of whether it involves personal humiliation, skin colour or other forms of discrimination,” he said.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that MCMC and police are tracking down a TikTok user who falsely claimed to be a pathologist involved in Zara’s post-mortem. Health authorities confirmed the individual is not a medical officer or specialist.
Zara was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar, Sabah, on July 16 and was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu the following day.
