Teachers at a Sabah school are stressed and afraid to go out after intense social media attacks following a student’s death, a court hears
KOTA KINABALU: Teachers at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha have been under immense stress and are afraid to go out in public following intense social media attacks by netizens over the death of student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
A former Senior Assistant of Student Affairs at the school, Asni Marjan, 56, told the Coroner’s Court that the barrage of criticism and online hostility led several teachers to delete their Facebook accounts.
He said some became fearful of going to shopping malls, shops or even the market.
“We have done our best. Among the teachers, I am the oldest. They call me ‘father’. My role is to comfort them. They face netizens every day,” he said while wiping away tears.
Asni, now posted to the Papar District Education Office, said teachers had been subjected to baseless, wild and slanderous allegations online.
The witness, set to retire next January, testified in response to questioning by lawyer Shahlan Jufry, representing Zara Qairina’s mother.
When Shahlan suggested the student’s pressure came from senior students rather than netizens, Asni responded by saying “I’m not sure”.
Zara Qairina was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory. – Bernama
