The government will consider the establishment of an Anti-Bullying Tribunal, following mounting pressure over the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah, which has intensified scrutiny on bullying in schools.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said will table the proposal at the upcoming Cabinet meeting. He stressed that a structured mechanism is necessary to deal with bullying cases effectively and transparently.
Zara, a Form One student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, was found unconscious on July 16 near a drain below her school dormitory. She sustained severe injuries and died the next day. Initial findings suggested she fell from the third floor, but her family disputed the cause of death, insisting she had been a victim of bullying.
Her mother, Noraidah Lamat, pushed for the exhumation of Zara’s body after claiming she saw bruises during the bathing ritual. Lawyers for the family later revealed a recording in which Zara had described repeated harassment by senior students, including explicit threats.
The Attorney General’s Chambers subsequently ordered the exhumation, and a delayed post-mortem was conducted on August 9. Findings have yet to be made public as police investigations continue.
The case has sparked national debate, with parents, rights groups, and education activists calling for stronger safeguards in schools. If approved, the Anti-Bullying Tribunal could provide a formal avenue for victims and families to seek redress outside the traditional police route.
