Coroner walks out during Zara Qairina inquest after saying ‘Am I not fair enough?’ twice

On August 26, the Coroner’s Court in Kota Kinabalu was disrupted during the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir. Coroner Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan abruptly left his seat twice after inquiring, “Am I not fair enough?” during questioning by consultant psychiatrist Dr Wong Haw Huo. The hearing was delayed for approximately 50 minutes before resuming.

The exchange occurred while Wong was being questioned as the 75th witness, and the lawyer representing one of the teenagers charged in the bullying case involving Zara Qairina repeatedly requested direct answers from the psychiatrist. Datuk Ram Singh, the lawyer, acknowledged that his earlier comments about the court's fairness had been misinterpreted as questioning the judge’s impartiality, and he apologized.

Judge Amir Shah accepted the apologies but emphasized the need for professionalism throughout the inquest. Dr Wong stated that the last student to interact with Zara Qairina prior to the incident is crucial in understanding her mental state at the time. Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025.