By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and his wife, Datin Seri Juliah Salag, met with the mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, Noraidah Lamat, at Sri Gaya to convey their condolences and deepest sympathy.
The meeting was also attended by members of the Welfare Association of Sabah State Assemblymen’s Wives (Mutiara GRS).
“On behalf of the State Government, I express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of the deceased. We pray that the family will be given strength to face this challenge,” Hajiji said.
He added that, as proof of the State Government’s concern over the matter, he had directed the Minister in charge of the Sabah education portfolio, Datuk Mohd Arifin Arif, and Kawang Assemblyman Dato’ Sri Ghulamhaidar Khan Bahadar, to visit Zara while she was still receiving treatment in hospital.
Hajiji commended the wave of solidarity under the hashtag #JusticeforZara initiated by netizens demanding justice for the victim but reminded the public to avoid making unwarranted speculations.
“We leave it to the police and other relevant authorities to conduct the investigation, and we hope this can be completed as soon as possible,” he said.
Juliah expressed her understanding of a mother’s grief over losing a beloved child.
“The safety of children, especially boarding school students, must be prioritised to prevent tragedies like this from recurring,” she stressed.
The late Zara Qairina, a Form One student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha, Papar, passed away on July 17 after being found unconscious near her dormitory—an incident that shocked the public and prompted calls for tighter student safety measures.
