Children must be protected from stigma in Zara Qairina case, says Suhakam

THE Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC) under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has urged the public and media to exercise utmost care and legal compliance in the reporting of proceedings involving five children charged in connection with the death of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir.

In a statement issued today, Suhamak reiterated the right of every child to full protection under the Child Act 2001 [Act 611], including access to trauma-informed support, legal representation, and fair treatment.

"The identities of the children must not be disclosed, either directly or indirectly," the statement read. "This includes names, photographs, school affiliations, or any other information that could lead to their identification."

The Commission reminded that Section 15 of the Child Act 2001 makes it an offence to publish identifying information of children involved in court proceedings, with penalties of up to RM10,000, five years’ imprisonment, or both.

Additionally, Suhakam stressed that the Children’s Court is a closed court under Section 12 of the same Act, and only those directly involved in the case are permitted to attend proceedings. "The privacy of these children must be respected," the statement continued.

The central message from Suhakam focuses on preventing the stigmatisation of the children involved. "We wish to remind the public that acts of bullying, whether in school or online, are entirely unacceptable."

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have been called upon to proactively review and update their internal policies and community standards to swiftly identify and remove content that violates Section 15 of the Child Act.

"Any content that reveals the identities of the children can cause further harm, whether unintentionally or with malicious intent," Suhakam said. "Waiting for takedown requests before acting allows unlawful and damaging material to spread widely, undermining the very purpose of legal protections."

The statement warned that delays in removing harmful content may cause real damage to the children involved and may be construed as complicity in illegal disclosure.

"Justice must be served in line with the principles of child rights and the rule of law," the statement added. - August 19, 2025