Zara Qairina inquest hears olive‑green ‘Love And Peace’ journal altered, 64 sheets missing

All four journals connected to the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir were incomplete, with one journal lacking 64 sheets, a Coroner’s Court learned. Forensic science lecturer Dr Wan Nur Syuhaila Mat Desa, the 77th witness, testified that the journals included a green journal labeled W1, a pastel purple “Simple Style Book” journal W2, a dark brown journal W3, and an olive-green “Love And Peace” journal WK9.

Dr Wan noted that W1 had 97 sheets compared to 98 in a reference journal, missing one sheet; W2 had 53 sheets against 96, missing 43; W3 had 77 sheets versus 98, with 21 missing; and WK9, received in poor condition, contained 54 sheets compared to 118 in a reference journal, leaving 64 sheets absent. Her examination revealed WK9 had been altered, with the original front endpaper torn out and part of the original sheet remaining, while the back endpaper was removed and pasted onto the front, forming the basis of her conclusion that WK9 had undergone modification.

Dr Wan also used the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) to uncover hidden indentations on certain pages of W2 and WK9, but could not confirm the authorship through handwriting analysis, which was conducted by forensic document examiner Tay Eue Kam. Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, after being found unconscious in a drain the previous day. The inquest continued.