KAJANG: All parties must not speculate on the death of religious school student Zara Qairina Mahathir and respect the ongoing investigation process.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said if there are shortcomings in the police investigation papers, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) will request the police to rectify them.
Saifuddin said his ministry does not wish to be drawn into the polemics surrounding the teenager’s death and will leave the matter entirely to the relevant authorities to handle according to due process.
“This is how it works. We should follow procedure. When an incident occurs, the police will open an investigation paper. Once the police complete their investigation, they will hand it over to the attorney general,” he told reporters after the launch of the i-Deen programme at the Nada headquarters yesterday.
Saifuddin stressed that interference by any party would only fuel further speculation.
“We must give space for the police to carry out their investigation. If not, people will ask, why is it taking so long? And if it’s done too quickly, they’ll ask, why so fast?”
He added that any decision by the AG would be based on a thorough and careful process.
“The AG must be fully convinced before making a decision to prosecute, especially in high-profile cases where the public wants to know the truth of what happened. So, let the process unfold. If there are weaknesses in the investigation, it is standard practice for the AG to return the papers to the police for improvement and refinement.”
Zara, a Form One student at a religious school in Papar, Sabah, was found unconscious after allegedly falling from a hostel building. She was later pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital at 11am on July 17.
On Aug 1, Zara’s family was reported to have requested an inquest to determine whether there were any criminal elements involved in her death. However, there has been no further update on the matter.
The family’s lawyers have appealed to the AGC to return the investigation papers to the police so the case can be reopened. Lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri claimed there were serious flaws and gaps in the investigation report received by the AGC.
