THE results of the internal investigation into the incident that befell the late Zara Qairina Mahathir were only verbally communicated to the school principal more than three days later.
Shahroom Hashim, 51, who is the 47th witness, told the Coroner's Court that during the two days he was in the hospital, he was also involved in arranging visits from the District Education Office (PPD), State Education Department (JPN), Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM) and gave a statement to the police.
In the proceedings, lawyer Shahlan Jufri asked the witness whether he had a meeting with teachers and the school administration after the incident that befell Zara Qairina.
"That's what I mentioned earlier, the meeting on the morning of July 17 to coordinate the standard operating procedures (SOP). (The meeting) was not long, not more than an hour because afterwards the PPD wanted to get the facts about the case," he said, adding that the meeting was attended by all the wardens and school administrators.
Shaharoom said this when giving his statement before Coroner Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan today.
Asked further what was discussed in the meeting, he said it was to coordinate the report on the incident.
"What I mean is ... the chronology of how the case started, from when the student was found on the floor and we sent her to hospital (Queen Elizabeth Hospital) to contacting the next of kin, to what, who, where, that was the initial information to the PPD and JPN," he said.
However, he informed that the meeting did not discuss what happened the night before Zara Qairina was found on the ground floor of the dormitory building on July 16.
Asked if the witness knew who ordered the internal investigation to be conducted and how it was conducted and who informed him, he said he was not sure about it.
"I am not sure, there was no (information) because I was in the hospital on July 16 and 17. (Only knew the results of the internal investigation) after more than three days," he said.
Asked to explain why he did not request a copy of the report results from the teacher who conducted the internal investigation, he said, "After the incident, there were too many programs from the Ministry of Health that required me to attend meetings, (as well as) the NRD. So as a school representative, I was more involved in coordinating the programs," he explained.
The late Zara Qairina was found unconscious under her school dormitory building in the early morning of July 16 before passing away at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) the next day. - November 18, 2025
