KOTA KINABALU: The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has objected to a judicial review bid by an NGO seeking to quash the ongoing inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.
Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan told the High Court that the applicant lacked locus standi as he was not a party to the proceedings, prompting the court to set 7 January 2026 for an e-review with submissions due this month.
The court advised any counsel wishing to take part in the matter to file the necessary applications and was informed that 56 witnesses had been called in the inquest so far, with some expected to return to clarify their evidence.
High Court Judge Datuk Celestina Stuel Galid also reminded the NGO applicant, who failed to appear for the first mention, to take the matter seriously, while lawyers representing Zara’s family said they opposed the bid and were holding a watching brief.
The NGO, led by Datuk Seri Mohammad Jeffry Rosman, wants the inquest struck out on grounds that the Sabah Inquest Ordinance 1959 should apply instead of the federal Criminal Procedure Code, arguing that safeguards under state law were overlooked.
