PUTRAJAYA, Aug 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reminded Malaysians not to take advantage of the deaths of Zara Qairina Mahathir and Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman for political or personal interests.
Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly assembly, he said speculation and false information on social media following the incidents had unnecessarily heightened public unease.
“Social media, especially when emotions are high, can exacerbate the spread of misinformation. I have spoken in Parliament to caution against membina mahligai di pusara,” New Straits Times quoted him saying, using a Malay idiom for exploiting tragedies for gain.
Anwar admitted that it is hard to control public sentiment on the social media.
He cited a recent case where a person posing as a pathologist misled millions and stirred fear among families, friends, and colleagues.
“We must not exploit someone’s death for political purposes or mislead the public,” he added.
This comes after tens of thousands rallied nationwide over the weekend in a show of solidarity over the unsolved death of Zara Qairina.
The death of 13-year-old, a SMKA Tun Mustapha student in Papar, Sabah, after an alleged bullying incident has sparked public outrage nationwide and renewed calls for safer schools.
Zara Qairina was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17 after being found severely injured and unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4am on July 16.
The inquest into her death begins at the Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court in Sabah today.
Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman was found dead in the school toilet in Kok Lanas, Kelantan 12 years ago.
Also under the spotlight was Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia student who died during basic army training as a cadet in the Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) in Ulu Tiram, Johor, on July 28.
