KUALA LUMPUR: The death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir at a boarding school in Papar, Sabah, is currently the Education Ministry's top priority.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry was fully committed to the case.

"This is our utmost priority. We are leaving the matter to the police and will provide full cooperation," she told the Dewan Rakyat today, following concerns raised by several MPs.

"I assure you there will be a fair and transparent investigation to ensure justice is served," she added.

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Fadhlina also said that the ministry must act justly to maintain calm within the school and its wider community.

She said she was also aware of the case of 16-year-old Muhammad Zulfan Iqbal Zaiful, who allegedly drowned during a post-training recovery session at a sports school.

The matter was raised by former education minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN–Putrajaya), who questioned why the incident had not received more attention or updates.

He urged the police to investigate and called on the minister to visit the boy's grieving parents.

Zulfan was an under-16 footballer at Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI), Johor, and was reportedly on the radar of the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) team for his talent as a goalkeeper.

A police report was lodged by his parents in April, nearly five months after they said they had received no updates about their son's death.

"I was moved by the pleas of Zulfan's parents, who still have many unanswered questions," Radzi said.

"For instance, the use of a five-metre deep diving pool for a post-training 'recovery' session raises serious concerns. Is this the ministry's standard operating procedure?

"Even more troubling, the parents said no senior official from the Education Ministry had visited or spoken to them.

"Just because the case hasn't gone viral does not mean Zulfan's family should be denied justice.

"If the ministry only acts when a case goes viral, then I appeal to the public — please, help make it go viral," he said.