KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Authorities are investigating a TikTok user who claimed to be a forensic surgeon in a ‘live’ broadcast discussing the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir.
According to Utusan Malaysia, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said checks with the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed the individual is neither a surgeon nor a forensic officer and has no ties to MOH.
“The false statement has spread widely, giving the impression it was true. This was verified by MOH’s Deputy Director-General of Medical Services after consulting the Head of the Forensic Pathology Team,” he reportedly said.
Fahmi added that the user’s account is now private, but the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) are tracing their identity and location for prosecution.
He urged the public to verify information before sharing, warning that spreading false news can incur fines of up to RM500,000.
Zara Qairina was found unconscious after falling from a third-floor dormitory at a religious school in Papar, Sabah, on July 16, and died the following day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital.
