THE 49th witness in the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir told the Coroner’s Court in Kota Kinabalu that she never intended to shame the student when sharing excerpts from her diary with school authorities.
Teacher Yuslina Badrum admitted she would personally feel uncomfortable if her private belongings were exposed but emphasised that her actions were aimed solely at assisting the investigation into the incident.
“When asked whether I considered the impact of sharing the diary contents while the late victim could not defend herself, my actions were solely to assist the investigation. I had no intention of exposing anyone’s private matters,” she told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan on Friday.
She added, “I felt that the administrators were the ones who should know and be responsible for the information we had.”
Yuslina confirmed that she shared three diaries — purple, green, and brown — in digital PDF format consisting of 15 pages each, which were submitted to two teachers and two other administrative personnel.
She also disclosed, “I would like to add that I also gave them to the school administrators, the principal, and the senior assistant for student affairs (PKHEM).”
Asked about her perception of the diaries’ contents, Yuslina said each book reflected different aspects of Zara’s personality.
“In general, Zara was someone who enjoyed life. For example, she valued friendship and, to the best of her knowledge, had two close friends. She wanted to improve herself by emulating a prefect, or Badar, whom she admired.
“However, she also had negative aspects based on my reading. Everything written was personal.”
The witness agreed with the Coroner that the school only needed to know of the diary’s existence rather than its full contents.
Reflecting on the personal implications, she candidly said, “I certainly wouldn’t like my private items to be disturbed, but in this case, we need to look at all perspectives to find the best solution.”
Zara Qairina, a student at the school, was found unconscious beneath her dormitory building in the early hours of July 16 and passed away the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. - November 21, 2025
