Kota Kinabalu: Noraidah Lamat told the Coroner’s Court on Wednesday that she loved her daughter, Zara Qairina Mahathir, dearly as she was her only child and her hope.
Noraidah, the 82nd deponent, said she and Zara were very close and were always together except when her daughter was at school or when she attended courses that did not allow her to bring Zara along.
“Zara and I were very close. I loved her very much because Zara was my only child and my hope,” she said while reading out her witness statement before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
When answering questions from counsel Shahlan Jufri, Noraidah said that after Zara was born, she personally took care of all her needs as Zara’s father was working away from home.
She said whenever Zara fell sick, she would take leave and sometimes bring Zara along to her workplace as none of her in-laws offered to help take care of her.
According to Noraidah, when she attended courses where she was not allowed to bring Zara along, she would send her daughter to a trusted cousin. She also had a helper who assisted her in taking care of Zara.
Noraidah further said Zara was talkative and, from a young age, often shared with her about school, competitions, friends, teachers and religious teachers.
She said whenever Zara had a problem, the girl would usually confide in her, and she would give her words of encouragement and motivation.
Noraidah said Zara also showed her affection by joking, hugging and kissing her, besides frequently making cards for her, including birthday cards and cards bearing the words “Zara sayang mama”.
She said she also showed her love and care for Zara by carrying her until Year Four.
When Zara was 10, she no longer wanted to be carried but still liked being hugged and kissed.
Noraidah said when Zara was five, they came up with the phrase “Sayang Cinta Rindu, Muahh I Love You”, which they would say every time she sent Zara to school.
The phrase continued to be used until Zara entered secondary school, including when they spoke over the phone.
Noraidah said, like other mothers and children, she would sometimes reprimand or scold Zara when she did something wrong, with the intention of educating and disciplining her, not hurting her.
“As far as I remember, when Zara sulked, what usually happened afterwards was that she would remain silent and often write in her books. However, Zara would not sulk for long. She would talk to me again as if nothing had happened,” she said.
Noraidah said throughout the time she raised Zara, her daughter often expressed her feelings through activities such as recording videos, joking, reciting two-line poems, drawing, colouring, making handicrafts, singing, playing with toys and spending time with pets such as cats, fish and turtles.
“When Zara was happy, she would tell stories, sing, write, take pictures, record videos and joke. When she was sad, she would remain quiet for a while while writing in her book, and when she had a problem, she would usually confide in me.
“I would give her words of encouragement and self-motivation,” she said.
She added that the Zara she knew was a cheerful, brave and articulate child who liked telling stories, was loving towards her family and pets, active at school, ambitious and had many friends.
“Before the incident, Zara never showed any signs of stress. Despite various incidents of teasing and bullying at the hostel, whenever I advised her and gave her words of motivation, Zara would regain her spirit,” she said.
