THE grieving mother of Zara Qairina Mahathir, 13, has broken her silence, stating that she was in a state of shock and confusion when asked to sign a hospital declaration form refusing a post-mortem examination on her daughter.
The tragic case has continued to spark public concern, especially following a statement by the Royal Malaysia Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) special task force, which revealed that Zara's mother, Noraidah Lamat, 45, had signed a formal declaration titled ‘Akuan Enggan Bedah Siasat Mayat Atas Kemahuan Sendiri’ (Voluntary Post-mortem Refusal).
In a comment posted under the Facebook account *Noie AiDa*, Noraidah said she was overwhelmed with grief and unable to think clearly when asked to make the decision regarding her daughter’s post-mortem.
“There was no clear explanation, and we weren’t familiar with cases like this. We panicked, and no advice was given regarding the post-mortem process,” she wrote.
“If we had known, we wouldn’t have signed to refuse the post-mortem. Can you even imagine this now? The death happened so quickly – just one night at Hospital Queen Elizabeth. Twenty hours in the Neuro Ward.”
According to police, the hospital document was co-signed by a doctor, a pathologist, and an investigating officer.
JSJ Director Datuk M Kumar S Muthuvelu earlier confirmed that a post-mortem was later carried out on 10 August at the request of the police. It was conducted by three doctors from Hospital Serdang and Hospital Queen Elizabeth.
The results of the examination were consistent with initial medical assessments: severe brain injury due to a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, believed to have been caused by a fall.
The case continues to draw attention online, with many Malaysians calling for greater transparency and compassion in the handling of sudden child deaths in medical settings. - August 14, 2025
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