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A FELLOW student giving testimony in-camera at the inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir told the Coroner’s Court on Tuesday she did not believe the late student had committed theft, as alleged before her death.
Testifying before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan as the 25th witness, the girl – identified as the 16th child witness – described Zara as a helpful and encouraging person.
"Zara once motivated me to study," she reportedly told the court. According to lawyer Rizwandean M Borhan, who represents Zara’s mother, the witness also said Zara admired a senior student and aspired to become a student prefect, but only viewed the senior as a role model.
The student revealed she had personally experienced troubling conduct from seniors, including being ordered to carry clothes from the ironing room to their dormitory rooms several times.
She also confirmed knowledge of a dormitory practice where juniors are summoned by seniors, often en masse, to be interrogated or reprimanded.
The witness said the session she endured left a lasting emotional impact, particularly due to persistent ridicule from senior students.
“She was mocked for being a prefect and for confiscating phones from other students,” said Rizwandean. The witness was reportedly taunted with phrases such as a ‘tattletale’.
Despite being advised, the witness said, senior students often continued to display poor behaviour and set bad examples for juniors. She criticised the culture of false accusations, aggressive interrogations, and verbal abuse against younger students.
“She said such conduct should never have happened,” added Rizwandean, who noted that the witness broke down in tears recalling her own painful experiences as a junior.
The student also testified that school wardens were largely disengaged from dormitory affairs prior to Zara’s death. She claimed checks were infrequent and that only after the tragic incident did wardens begin to patrol the dormitory floors regularly.
“She recalled one teacher advising seniors to watch their language and behaviour, warning that juniors tend to imitate them,” said Rizwandean.
The legal team representing Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, includes Rizwandean along with Shahlan Jufri, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi, Farrah Nasser, and Elhanan James.
Zara Qairina was found unconscious beneath her school’s dormitory block in the early hours of 16 July. She was pronounced dead the following day at Hospital Queen Elizabeth. - October 21, 2025
