MACHANG: The police are focused on updating the investigation and collecting evidence related to the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).

“The police are focusing on updating the investigation and collecting all evidence, and in carrying out this task, the police will not compromise on the principle of justice because we need to be fair to everyone involved, including the family of the late Zara and the school,” he said yesterday.

He was met by reporters af­­ter the opening of “Ijtimak Ma­­da­­­ni Ulama dan Guru Pondok Ke­­­­­lantan 2025” by Prime Minis­ter Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Machang campus here, Bernama reported.

Saifuddin Nasution assured the public that the police will keep the people informed with the latest updates on the case.

He said the move to exhume the body followed instructions by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).

He added that he was briefed on the matter by the Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail.

In a statement, Bukit Aman said the need to exhume Zara Qairina’s remains was based on the evaluation of the investigation paper.

The AGC has studied the report, according to Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department director Comm Datuk M. Kumar.

He said the findings from that study have led to a need to exhume the body of Zara Qairina to enable a post-mortem.

This is to obtain additional information that is required to complete investigations regarding the case.

He said justice will be upheld and that the police will refer the investigation paper back to the AGC in the near future.

Family members believed that her death was linked to bullying at the school hostel.

Zara Qairina’s mother, through her lawyers, has asked for an inquest to be held and also for her body to be exhumed and a post-mortem conducted amid a social media campaign #JusticeforZara.

On Friday, the AGC disclosed that it has directed the police to exhume the remains of Zara Qairina.

The AGC stated that further investigations by the police were necessary to ensure all aspects of the case were thoroughly examined.