THE legal team representing the mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir stressed that any preliminary conclusions based on the testimony of witnesses, including psychiatrist Dr Chua Sze Hung, are inappropriate and risk confusing public perception of the ongoing inquest proceedings at the Coroner's Court.
In a statement issued today, the team noted the media coverage and discussions on social media regarding the testimony of Sze Hung as the 67th witness and the autopsy psychiatric report presented in the inquest proceedings.
According to the team, it is important to emphasise that the Coroner's Court has the jurisdiction to evaluate the entire testimony and determine the findings based on all the evidence presented throughout the inquest proceedings.
"The testimony of any witness, including expert witnesses, and the reports presented are only part of the entire evidence that has yet to be presented and fully tested before the court.
“Therefore, any preliminary conclusions or conclusions drawn based on the evidence so far are inappropriate and risk misleading the public’s perception of the ongoing proceedings.
“Furthermore, it is important to state that any documents referred to in the report, including personal notes such as diaries, are not conclusive evidence and are still subject to verification through forensic expert testimony.
“The authenticity, ownership and context of the contents of the documents need to be determined through a rigorous evidentiary process in court,” the statement said.
According to the statement, at the same time, there are still other witnesses, including character witnesses regarding the late Zara Qairina, who have not been called to give evidence before the court.
“Our team will also call psychiatric expert witnesses to help the court assess the relevant issues more comprehensively and balanced based on the entire evidence that will be presented,” it read.
Following that, the public is asked to be more cautious in giving any comments or views in public spaces, including on social media.
“This is because in the current development, there are several cases where statements or comments in the public sphere have led to legal action, including investigations and prosecutions.
“Some cases have resulted in convictions in court with fines and heavy sentences, while others are still in the investigation or proceedings stage.
“Therefore, the public is reminded to be more careful in giving any comments, especially when involving matters that are currently in court proceedings, to avoid any unwanted legal implications,” they said.
In the same statement, the legal team also said that it is appropriate to remember that Zara Qairina’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, is the party that has taken steps to obtain justice through these inquest proceedings.
“She is now following every development with great perseverance to ensure that the truth can be determined by the court.
“We emphasise that any comments that are speculative, insensitive or unfounded are inappropriate and can further increase the emotional burden that the family of the deceased Zara is currently enduring.
"All parties are urged to respect the ongoing legal process and to maintain the sensitivity of the late Zara's family during this period," they said.
The legal team comprises lawyers Shahlan Jufri, Datuk Rizwandean M. Borhan, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi, Farrah Nasser and Elhanan James. - April 4, 2026
