THE Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has ordered police to dig deeper into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir and ordered the exhumation of her body for a fresh post-mortem.
The move comes after the AGC reviewed the full preliminary investigation report submitted by the police and concluded that more work was needed to ensure “all aspects of the investigation are carried out thoroughly”.
The AGC confirmed it had returned the report to police with additional instructions, including the exhumation order, to secure new evidence and information “necessary to complete the investigation into Zara Qairina’s death,” on Friday.
Zara was found unconscious in a drain below her school dormitory in Papar on July 16 and was pronounced dead the next day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital.
The incident triggered a wave of public concern and speculation, with her family maintaining that bullying could have played a role.
Her mother, Noraidah Lamat, has been pushing for the exhumation since late July, saying she wanted “answers to the questions that have been circling in my mind for the past 14 days” about the real cause of her daughter’s death.
She has also filed a fresh police report after recalling bruises on Zara’s back during the funeral washing ritual.
This is among detail her lawyers say was never properly addressed in the original investigation.
Public pressure over the case has also been mounting, with vigils taking place across Sabah.
A candlelight vigil at Gaya Street in Kota Kinabalu on Sunday night drew around 300 people despite the rain, organised by Suara Mahasiswa UMS and Gerakan Anak Muda Pantai Timur (GEMPUR).
Similar gatherings are planned in Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Sipitang in the coming days, with organisers urging participants to wear white as a symbol of mourning.
Police had so far interviewed about 60 witnesses, including students, teachers and parents.
The outcome of the initial investigation has been filed to Bukit Aman for further action, said Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun.
This is the report that has now been returned, however.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the public to allow the legal process to run its course, warning against politicising the tragedy.
“This is a country governed by the rule of law, not one overrun by slander,” he said during a visit to Kota Kinabalu recently.
He said no political or influential figures would be protected in the process.
Zara’s lawyers have also moved to address viral rumours, including claims she had been placed in a washing machine, calling such talk “pure speculation” and urging those with information to bring it to the police instead of social media.
They also reminded the public that sharing photos of students with derogatory captions or circulating personal details could amount to offences under the Child Act, the Communications and Multimedia Act, or data protection laws.
Last week, Zara’s personal belongings including the clothes she wore on the day of the incident were handed over to police after investigators requested them for the first time.
Lawyers argue the delay in collecting these items reflects the limited scope of the original investigation.
The lawyer also handed over a handphone belonging to Zara’s mother where a call recording was available before her passing.
Zara’s family had sought a formal inquest, citing inconsistencies in the explanation that she died from a fall.
The AGC has not given a timeline for when the new findings will be reviewed, but said the aim is to ensure police have “all the additional information and evidence needed to complete the probe.” - August 8, 2025
