POLICE have arrested a 61-year-old man in Semporna, Sabah, for allegedly issuing death threats on Facebook against forensic pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu, who is testifying in the inquest into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the suspect, believed to be behind the Facebook account “Amung Kamaruddin,” was arrested at 7am yesterday.
His mobile phone was seized, and initial checks confirmed he had posted the threats.
The case is being investigated under Section 507 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Jauteh warned that stern action would be taken against anyone misusing social media to spread intimidation or cause public anxiety.
Dr Hiu lodged a police report on Sept 5 after receiving the threats, which came after her testimony in court.
She had told the inquest it was unlikely Zara’s death was caused by an accidental fall or by being pushed, suggesting the teenager may have climbed a hostel wall before the fall.
Zara, a Form One student at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, was found unconscious on July 16 and died the following day. The inquest was ordered after allegations of bullying surfaced.
Lawyer Hamid Ismail, representing Zara’s mother, urged the public to respect Dr Hiu’s expertise, stressing that insults and threats would not aid justice.
The inquest, which began last month, will continue on Sept 8. —Sept 17, 2025
Main image: New Straits Times
