Kota Kinabalu: The mother of Zara Qairina Mahathir told the Coroner’s Court that she was shocked when a hostel security guard allegedly told her that her daughter had been accused of stealing money.
Noraidah Lamat said she was not informed directly about the allegations and only learned about them while chatting with a security guard at the hostel security post towards the end of May 2025.
She said she was surprised by the allegation as she had provided Zara with pocket money for her daily expenses while she was staying at the hostel and had even written down the amount for her daughter as a reminder.
Noraidah said this while answering questions from counsel Shahlan Jufri before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan about allegations that Zara had stolen money.
Shahlan: In these proceedings, there are several allegations that Zara stole money at the hostel. Can you tell the court about these allegations?Noraidah: I was not informed about these allegations, so I cannot tell you about them. But towards the end of May 2025, when I was at the hostel security post, I tried chatting with a security guard named Linah.
“I was familiar with her because we would usually chat when I sent my child there. She knew Zara. She asked, ‘Is this your child? People have been saying she is panjang tangan (stealing).’“I was shocked. I was really shocked. ‘Huh? Zara is panjang tangan? Stealing?’“I showed her again and said, ‘Look at her food. This is the plastic bag of food that I bought for her. There is porridge and bread.’ I said, ‘There are also various crackers.
I gave her RM70 as pocket money. I even brought a note and put it in her wallet.’“I was really shocked by the security guard’s allegation.
“When Zara came downstairs, I said, ‘Ra, that auntie security guard said that Zara stole. Who said Zara stole? Did Ra steal? There is no way Zara stole. Ra, you should correct it with the security guard and tell her that Zara did not steal.’“She kept saying Zara did not steal. There may be many other Zaras, she said. There are many Zaras at the hostel, she said.
“‘How could Zara steal? Zara had plenty of money.’ That was what she said.”Shahlan: What else did the security guard tell you apart from the allegation that Zara was ‘long-handed’?Noraidah: That was all she told me. Apart from that, we talked about her relatives who were in Sipitang.
She also explained about the expenses and money she provided to Zara each time her daughter returned to the hostel.
Shahlan: Did Zara ever complain to you about thefts at the hostel?Noraidah: Yes, she did. In early February, when she was at the musolla, and all of that was also in the phone recording. There was money belonging to other students that went missing.
I also did not make a complaint to the warden about that because I always told Zara that perhaps the person who took the money was someone in need.
“So I tried to comfort her and suggested that at that time she could borrow money from Zara’s good senior idol. I told her, ‘Ra, try borrowing RM2 first, because Zara only had one more day at the hostel.’”Shahlan: So Zara had complained about losing her money?Noraidah: Yes. Money went missing in the musolla. There was also money that went missing from the cupboard. But the complaint about the one in the musolla was recorded in the phone recording.
Shahlan: Do you still remember how much pocket money you gave Zara when she went to the hostel?Noraidah: Yes. In February, I knew that Zara liked to eat. She had a good appetite. So I gave her RM10 a day. Five days multiplied by RM10 was RM50.
“RM10 was for Zara’s laundry. Washing clothes in the machine cost RM3 each time. Another RM10 was for Zara to top up her Telko because at that time I did not yet know how to top it up through the app.
“So that week in February, I gave her RM70.
“When March came, for the first two weeks, her expenses were RM7 multiplied by five, which was RM35. RM5 was for laundry. Zara told me, ‘Mum, we actually share the laundry costs.’ One time, the washing cost RM3 and Zara paid, then the next time her friend paid. They shared it.
“RM10 was for emergencies. By then, I already knew how to top up her phone through the Telko app. So the amount I gave her was RM7 multiplied by five, RM35, plus RM5, making RM40, and RM10 for emergencies, making RM50. That was for the first two weeks.
“For the last two weeks, after I received my salary, I would give Zara RM10 a day multiplied by five, RM50, RM10 for emergencies, making RM60, and RM5 for laundry, making RM65.
“I also wrote it down on paper so Zara would not forget. I wrote it on paper as a note and put it in her wallet. That was how I calculated her expenses,” said Noraidah.
