THE Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court was told today that late student Zara Qairina Mahathir had lodged a complaint regarding sexual harassment while she was sleeping in her dormitory room at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha.
Nurul Syahadah Ibrahim, 38, the school’s assistant head of discipline, testified that the disciplinary unit received the complaint on March 14, roughly a month after Zara Qairina had enrolled at the school.
“Yes, Zara Qairina lodged a complaint of alleged sexual harassment by a Form Two student while she was sleeping.
“She claimed that the student had sniffed her private parts. However, our investigation found that the student had only sniffed the blanket she was using before taking it to be washed,” she said.
Nurul Syahadah explained that, after recording statements and interviewing all students involved, the disciplinary unit concluded the incident was a misunderstanding, with no inappropriate intention on the part of the accused student.
“I personally asked the student to demonstrate how she sniffed the blanket,” she added.
When asked by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, representing one of five teenagers accused in the bullying case, whether she believed the demonstration, she replied, “Yes.”
Regarding the credibility of Zara Qairina’s complaint, Nurul Syahadah said the disciplinary unit required additional evidence as the student had allegedly been asleep at the time.
“We needed evidence from her roommates, namely Student A and the Form Two student. At that time, Student A was folding clothes,” she testified.
The witness also addressed claims involving a senior student nicknamed ‘Kak M,’ clarifying that the student was not a gangster.
The incident, she said, followed an alleged body-shaming episode where Zara Qairina and Student A referred to ‘Kak M’s’ younger sister as “chipsmore” due to a mole on her mouth.
Nurul Syahadah confirmed that the ‘Circle 19’ group, whose members remain enrolled at the school, still exists, though faction formation is prohibited.
She acknowledged that the group had used obscene language toward other students but expressed uncertainty over whether a police report was warranted.
A visibly frustrated Ram indicated he would file a police report on the ‘Circle 19’ group to prevent further tragedies at the school. He subsequently lodged the report at Luyang Police Station, urging authorities to take action against the group and the school administration.
Zara Qairina, aged 13, was found unconscious in a drain near her dormitory and was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah, on July 17.
The inquest proceedings continue as the court seeks further clarity on the circumstances surrounding her death and the alleged bullying within the school. - December 1, 2025
