Kota Kinabalu: Zara Qairina Mahathir’s mother admitted that she was worried about her daughter’s situation at the hostel but continued to trust the religious school’s administration, the Coroner’s Court heard on Monday.
Noraidah Lamat said she was concerned about Zara’s condition. However, she continued to have faith in the school administration because she was also a former student there.
The 82nd witness was responding to questions from counsel Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip about what had been on her mind when Zara shared her unpleasant experiences at the hostel.
Nurul: Referring to an audio recording in which Zara shared her hostel experiences with you, she told you that someone had said to her, “If I touch you, you will bleed.” Who was Zara referring to?Noraidah: She was referring to two senior students, as I understood from Zara. By “touch-touch”, she meant punching, slapping or beating someone until their face was covered in blood.
That was what she meant. I also reassured her that nobody would do such a thing, saying, “Zara, this is a religious school hostel. They know the hostel rules too.” But Zara told me, “They dare to do it, Mum. They have done it to someone before.” That was what Zara told me.
Nurul: When Zara told you about the “touch-touch”, what did you understand from her tone of voice at the time?Noraidah: Initially, I thought “touch-touch” referred to inappropriate touching. However, when I asked her to clarify, I understood that she meant punching, beating and slapping.
Noraidah said she could tell from Zara’s complaint that her daughter was frightened. She advised her to avoid walking alone and to stay with her friends.
“I told her, ‘Ra, don’t walk alone. Walk with your friends and make sure they are not nearby when you are walking,’” Noraidah said.
Nurul: You said that you wanted the students to be suspended or expelled, and Zara replied, “I agree with that, Mum. I agree with that.” Can you explain why you said that to Zara?Noraidah: Initially, I tried to reassure Zara that they would not dare do such a thing to her. However, if they did, I really wanted the warden to take action, followed by the disciplinary unit. That was what I meant. I wanted the students to be suspended.
I was referring to what Zara had told me, that they would “touch-touch” her until she bled. If they did that to her, I wanted the disciplinary unit to take similar action against them.
Nurul: When Zara shared her unpleasant experiences at the hostel, what was going through your mind?Noraidah: I was worried about Zara’s condition. However, in my heart and mind, I still believed the administration of the religious school because I was also a former student of the school.
Nurul: Did Zara ever tell you that she wanted to change schools?Noraidah: No, never.
Nurul: Another witness in the inquest told the court that Zara had said she wanted to transfer schools but that you disagreed. Can you respond to that evidence?Noraidah: Zara never told me that she wanted to transfer schools. What she told me was that she wanted to hold a position at the school and was interested in becoming a Badar, the religious and spiritual guidance body.
When students held positions, they would be placed in a special room. Zara was afraid of being grouped with troublesome students. I mean sharing a room with them.
Nurul: You stated that on July 12 and 13, 2025, Zara told you that senior students at the hostel had called her names and mocked her. Is that correct?Noraidah: Yes, that is correct.
Nurul: How did Zara tell you about this?Noraidah: When I attended a gotong-royong activity at the school, Zara told me about it and showed me the senior students who liked to mock her. I asked Zara to take me around the administrative block, the canteen and the second-floor classroom building while showing me the faces of the seniors who had mocked her. I did not take any photographs.
Zara told me, “Mum, don’t stay around them for too long. They might notice.” I replied, “Let them.” As we walked, I held Zara’s hand so they would know that Zara had a mother and that they should not mistreat her.
Nurul: What was Zara’s tone of voice at the time?Noraidah: Although Zara pointed out the senior students who had mocked her, she appeared cheerful and seemed proud that I had attended the gotong-royong activity.
Noraidah further testified that during the Movement Control Order (MCO), Zara would contact her father through WhatsApp voice messages to seek answers to questions related to her online lessons when she was asked to consult him.
After the MCO ended, Zara would usually message her father when she wanted to ask him for money.
Noraidah said she was aware of this arrangement and that Zara would usually inform her before messaging her father, such as when she wanted to ask for money to buy a badminton racket.
