Zara S Death Saifuddin Sad Cops Blamed Over Lack Of Post Mortem

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PARLIAMENT | Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stressed that post-mortems in relation to a death are the responsibility of hospitals and not the police.
Commenting on the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, Saifuddin said he was saddened that the police had been criticised for allegedly failing to conduct a post-mortem on the deceased.
“I reviewed the chronology and course of the investigation, with so many people involved and such comprehensive statements taken, I felt sad seeing the commitment of the police force (but) just because of that one part, where it was said the police failed (to conduct a post-mortem).
“Post-mortems are not carried out by the police; they are done by doctors, by doctors once the cause of death is known,” he said.
According to Saifuddin, the post-mortem was conducted after Zara’s mother lodged a police report claiming she noticed bruises on her daughter’s body when preparing her for burial.
“She lodged a police report, and at the same time, we suggested exhuming the body. In the name of seeking the truth, the police recommended exhumation,” he said during the winding-up of the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution IsmailZara’s death previously raised many questions and speculations, among them that no post-mortem was carried out on her remains.
Her family believed the Form 1 student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan, in Papar, Sabah, was a victim of bullying.
Zara was found unconscious in a drain beneath her school dormitory building on July 16 and died the following day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.
Her death sparked nationwide outrage, with many demanding accountability and measures to address bullying in educational institutions.
Against SOP
Police have confirmed that a special task force from Bukit Aman has taken over the investigation into Zara’s death, while the Attorney-General’s Chambers has ordered an inquest.
Last Wednesday, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director M Kumar said the case’s investigating officer failed to follow procedures by not requesting a post-mortem, which was warranted by the suspicious circumstances of Zara’s death.
“Although Zara’s mother earlier signed a statutory declaration declining a post-mortem, the investigating officer should have applied for one… The lack of a post-mortem is clearly against our SOP,” he said.
Further commenting, Saifuddin said that had Zara died at the scene, the police would certainly have instructed a post-mortem to be carried out.
“I read every detail. At the time when Zara fell, she was still breathing, confirmed by the assistant medical officer. She did not die at the school. If she had fallen and died, that would have been different; she would have been taken straight to the hospital, and a post-mortem would have been done, no issue.
“She was taken (to the hospital) still alive, and what the doctors did at that time was try to save her, put on all the tubes, that was their priority. At that time, no one was talking about bullying, and no one knew there was a bullying case. Our priority was to save her.
“Only now we know there were elements of bullying,” he said. - Mkini

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