Hashtag Publics & Activism: The Rise of #JusticeForZara 📱🕊️
#JusticeForZara is the hottest activism and news in Malaysia in last year.
⚠️ Overview of the Situation
On 16 July 2025, a 13-year-old Malaysian Malay student, Zara Qairina Mahathir study at a boarding student in Papar, Sabah. She was experienced on bullying in school and was believed to have fallen from the third floor of her dormitory. Her body was unconscious found in a drain at 3:00a.m. The next day, she died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital due to severe brain injuries 💔.
In past cases, Malaysia is very neglect on child abuse cases, Zara’s death captured a strong attention like few others. It exposes the failure of student safety in school 🏫.
🌐 The Community Feedback & Online Activism
The activism been organized with the slogan JusticeForZara on road street to protest in Malaysia. This rally is to demand for justice, express their feelings, and key message, such as:
🪧 “Justice For Zara Qairina”
🪧 “Justice Is Not To Be Silenced”.
In online, the hashtag #️⃣JusticeForZara went viral. The community created video, photo, and music to relate the incident and participate this online activism. This hashtag has dominated in social media 📲with over 114000 posts within weeks of this incident.
The hashtag #️⃣JusticeForZara not just trending in Malaysia, it also spread across international like Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and other country. To protest, demand and express for Zara in their own countries.
This activism has also drawn some political leaders, including our Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, vowed a transparent and uncompromising probe, while the Minister of Education, Fadhlina Sidek, faced significant pressure and tell him to resign this profession. Moreover, other political party include PKR and Warisan, deliver impassioned speeches calling for truth, justice, and an end to violence against children. The political leaders in Sabah is largely focused on balancing public demand for justice with institutional stability.
The #️⃣JusticeForZara movement came to the conclusion that Malaysian families can no longer choose to remain silent. Now, the country has already moved toward a zero-tolerance mentality for institutional negligence and bullying 🤝.
Kumaran, R. (2025). Justice for Zara: Tragedy, outrage, and the movement shaking Sabah – MalaysiaScoop. https://malaysiascoop.com/2025/08/18/justice-for-zara-tragedy-outrage-and-the-movement-shaking-sabah/
Times, N. S. (2025). Netizens worldwide rally for justice for Zara Qairina. NST Online. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/08/1259767/netizens-worldwide-rally-justice-zara-qairina
Mail, M. (2025). ‘Justice for Zara’ gains momentum in Labuan as thousands in black demand truth and end to bullying (VIDEO). Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/08/10/justice-for-zara-gains-momentum-in-labuan-as-thousands-in-black-demand-truth-and-end-to-bullying-video/187132
Online, S. (2025). Shouts of “Justice for Zara” echo as crowds rally in KL, Ipoh. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/08/16/shouts-of-039justice-for-zara039-echo-as-crowds-rally-in-kl-ipoh
Update, M. (2025). #JusticeForZara Bergema di Pentas Dunia, Dunia Menanti Keadilan - The Malaysian Update. The Malaysian Update. https://www.malaysianupdate.my/2025/08/13/justiceforzara-bergema-di-pentas-dunia-dunia-menanti-keadilan/
