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A FORENSIC medical officer from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) has denied claims that he failed to meet or explain the post-mortem procedure to the mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir on 17 July.
Testifying as the seventh witness in the inquest into the 13-year-old’s death, Dr Logaraj Ratha told the Coroner’s Court today that he did, in fact, meet Noraidah Lamat, the deceased's mother, along with another family member, Nur Shira Abdullah, at the Forensic Medicine Department that day.
The denial came in response to a statement made by the family’s counsel, Rizwandean M. Borhan, who said he had been instructed by Noraidah to convey that no such meeting or explanation had taken place.
“I do not agree,” said Dr Logaraj. “I met Puan Noraidah and the family witness Puan Nur Shira that afternoon at the Forensic Medicine Department of HQE.”
Rizwandean further pressed the witness, saying Noraidah claimed she was not given an explanation regarding the necessity of a post-mortem, nor was it witnessed by Nur Shira.
Again, Dr Logaraj disagreed.
“I do not agree. I provided a complete explanation to Puan Noraidah and Puan Nur Shira that afternoon, and they signed the form after understanding my explanation,” he said.
In his written statement read in court, Dr Logaraj reiterated that he had met both women on 17 July and had explained the importance and implications of a post-mortem. He added that while the police did not issue Form Pol. 61 — the official Request for Post-Mortem — a clinical post-mortem could still have been performed with the next of kin’s consent.
“Despite being informed of this, Puan Noraidah chose not to proceed with the post-mortem,” he said.
He said that, following standard procedure, he issued a Declaration of Refusal for Post-Mortem Examination at Own Request, which was filled in and signed by Noraidah, with Nur Shira signing as witness. Dr Logaraj also signed the document as the attending physician.
“I explained the contents of the document and the sections that needed to be filled in. I also informed her that without a post-mortem, the family would not be able to make any claims or obtain an official report on the cause of death from the hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department in the future,” he added.
Earlier that day, he had been alerted to a death in the Neurosurgery Ward involving a patient subject to police investigation. The body was later transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department.
According to Dr Logaraj, one of the services provided by the department was mortuary management, which includes body collection, registration, storage, and release to the next of kin.
He said he contacted the on-call forensic pathologist, Dr Ding Chee Swan, and the investigating officer from Papar District Police Headquarters, Inspector Wong Yew Zhung.
Inspector Wong later informed him that a post-mortem form would not be issued by the police and provided a clearance letter for the body to be released to the family without a medico-legal post-mortem.
Dr Logaraj said he informed Noraidah of this and again explained the significance of a clinical post-mortem, which she ultimately declined.
When asked by counsel whether he knew that Noraidah had lodged a police report on the morning of 17 July, Dr Logaraj said yes, but that she did not provide a copy of the report to the hospital despite being asked.
“She told me herself,” he added. “We requested a copy, but she declined to give it.”
The Coroner’s Court also heard that six witnesses have testified so far in the inquest, which began on 3 September and is scheduled to run until 30 September.
Other witnesses who have taken the stand include forensic pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu, document examiner from the Chemistry Department Nurul Atiqah Mohd Noh, emergency department doctor Dr Janefer Voo, neurosurgery medical officer Dr Pavankumar Balachandran, CID officer Inspector Maidon Bernadus, and a school security guard who was present when Zara was found unconscious under the school hostel building.
Today’s hearing is the eighth day of proceedings. Shahlan Jufri, counsel for Zara’s family, said the court may call the hostel’s head warden, followed by child witnesses if time permits.
The Coroner’s Court, while not issuing a formal gag order, has reminded all parties — including the media — of their responsibilities under Section 15 of the Child Act 2001.
Five teenagers charged in the Juvenile Court in connection with the case are only referred to by the initials A, B, C, D and E. The names of other minors mentioned during proceedings are also withheld to protect their identities. - September 17, 2025