A FAMILY member of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir told the Coroner's Court that Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had assured them that the incident that led to the death of the Form One student at her school dormitory would not be covered up.
The deceased's uncle, Abu Bakar Lamat, 47, said this when giving his statement before Coroner Amir Shah Hassan at the inquest into the death of the 13-year-old student, today.
He said the assurance was given by the Education Minister at a meeting with their family at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE), here on July 17 last year, after his wife told him about the alleged bullying incident at the deceased's school and requested a transparent investigation.
"The Education Minister stated that this case would not be covered up, but the school was ordered not to provide any information, including to the next of kin, because the police investigation was still ongoing," he said.
The witness said that during a meeting with Fadhlina in a special room while they were waiting for a permit to claim the deceased's remains at the Forensic Division, Level G HQE, the minister also gave words of encouragement and personal contributions to Zara Qairina's family.
Abu Bakar also informed that his sister, Noraidah, the deceased's mother, was in a state of trauma and very sad while his niece was being treated in the hospital and could not accept the sudden loss of Zara Qairina.
Earlier, he told the court that based on his observations, the relationship between Noraidah and her daughter, from the time the deceased was still young until the incident, had been without any problems, very good and close.
"Zara seemed very comfortable with her mother; their relationship was more like that of close friends. Zara often shared stories and problems with her mother. I have never seen a serious argument between them, nor have I ever seen Zara afraid, hate or distance herself from her mother," he said.
The court was also told that Noraidah always reprimanded and educated Zara Qairina gently and lovingly, besides ensuring that whatever the teenager's needs and desires were met to the best of her ability.
He said that he had never seen his sister ignore Zara Qairina or inappropriately treat the deceased, and that the teenager, after entering secondary school and living in the hostel, was very happy because she had new experiences and many friends.
Abu Bakar said that the deceased had shared her experiences at school with him, including activities with friends, eating together and experiences in the hostel, as well as things she did not like.
"Zara also shared that she was angry and uncomfortable because a friend touched her while she was sleeping. Zara also said that she and her friends were told to go down to get hot water on the ground floor of the dormitory in the middle of the night to eat ramen together.
"From my observation, the things Zara told me were more related to school and friends, not family," she said, adding that his niece also never said she was not loved or afraid of her mother.
"I also never saw Zara experiencing serious stress related to her family," he added.
Zara Qairina was reported to have died on July 17 last year due to severe traumatic brain injury after being found unconscious under her school dormitory building in the early morning the day before. – May 20, 2026
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