By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 10: Students should be taught to speak up against bullying, whether they are facing it themselves or witnessing it happening to others.
In a statement, the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Women chief Kho Teck Wan added that filing complaints with the relevant authorities should be incorporated into student orientation programmes.
“Students must be taught to speak up against bullying—whether it occurs online, in educational institutions, or adult training environments such as military or police academies,” she said.
She made the statement in response to the case of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir, who was pronounced dead at a hospital in Sabah on July 17, a day after she reportedly fell from the third floor of her school dormitory. Her family believed that her death was linked to bullying.
Drawing on her experience in boarding schools, Kho said that it was common for conflicts and arguments to happen in dormitories, which was why parents, wardens, and teachers need to be vigilant and watch for any physical and behavioural changes among the students.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the dormitory is safe and healthy for its residents, mentally and physically,” she said.
Touching on the case, Kho expressed her condolences to Zara Qairina’s family and urged the authorities to perform a transparent and thorough investigation.
At the same time, she urged the public to refrain from speculations that could interfere with the investigation. — DayakDaily
