Key facts
- Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah visited the family of 16-year-old Irene Sofiya on October 5.
- Irene Sofiya was found dead at her school in Yong Peng, Johor, on October 3.
- The victim suffered multiple head and body injuries.
- A 16-year-old male student has been remanded to assist with the murder investigation.
- The Queen offered comfort and a personal contribution to the family.
- The father expressed his appreciation for the Queen's assurance of help in seeking justice.
Malaysia's Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah visited the family of 16-year-old Irene Sofiya on Monday, October 5, offering comfort and pledging to help seek justice for the girl who was found dead at her school in Yong Peng, Johor, on October 3. The Queen's visit came after the girl's father, Mohd Khairool Faisal Khyar, expressed his desire for justice.
Irene Sofiya was discovered on the floor of her school hall by her grandmother, weak and unresponsive, with severe head and body injuries consistent with an assault. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have detained a 16-year-old male student from the same school and he has been remanded for six days to aid in the investigation, which is being treated as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
The Education Minister, Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, visited the school and ordered a review of attendance protocols and security measures, warning that firm action would be taken if negligence was found. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also ordered an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation, stating the government would not compromise on child safety. The Johor Education Exco directed the state education department to cooperate fully with the police.
During her visit, Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah presented a personal contribution to the family to help ease their burden and conveyed words of encouragement. The meeting lasted nearly an hour. Irene Sofiya's father had previously appealed for an end to baseless speculation about his daughter on social media to preserve her dignity.