THE former Deputy Head of Student Affairs at SMKA Tun Datuk Mustapha, Asnie Marjan, has defended her handling of events surrounding the death of student Zara Qairina Mahathir, insisting she acted appropriately despite only visiting the site where the teenager was found unconscious several days after the incident.
In her testimony as the 56th witness at the inquest on Thursday, Marjan, 56, confirmed that no dormitory teachers were on duty at the time Zara Qairina was discovered on the lower floor of the hostel.
She acknowledged the school’s roster listed five dormitory teachers, two of whom were solely hostel staff, but said she had not been present on the night of 15 July and only learned of the incident at 3.25am from the Head Warden.
“I was at the hospital from dawn on 16 July until evening. The following morning, after discussions about the incident, I spent most of my time attending to parents,” she said.
“From 17 July until I was posted to the district office, I met with parents daily. Even if my breakfast routine was disrupted, it does not mean I neglected my duties, not in the name of Allah.”
Marjan also addressed questions about the scanned diary of Zara Qairina, stating she had received only one copy via WhatsApp and had not opened it due to time constraints.
She added the school had not submitted the diary, internal investigation reports, or related documents to the police or education authorities, citing that the matter was already under police investigation.
Zara Qairina was found unconscious at the hostel in the early hours of 16 July and later passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital the following day. - December 4, 2025
