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

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 26 — During the Coroner’s Court inquest into Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death, a tense moment occurred when Coroner Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan abruptly left his bench twice after asking, "Am I not fair enough?" during questioning of consultant psychiatrist Dr Wong Haw Huo. The inquest was halted for roughly 50 minutes before resuming.

Dr Wong, the 75th witness, was questioned by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, representing one of the teenagers charged in the bullying case involving Zara. Datuk Rizwandean M. Borhan, representing Zara’s mother, expressed that Ram’s queries seemed harsh. Ram responded, stating the questioning was crucial for the case. Judge Amir Shah then questioned whether he was fair, to which Ram affirmed he was fair, prompting the judge to repeat the question.

After the pause, Ram apologized, clarifying his remarks did not question the inquest’s fairness. He also expressed shock at the judge’s departure, hoping such an incident wouldn’t happen again. Rizwandean offered his apology as well. Judge Amir Shah accepted the apologies, reminding counsel to remain professional. He acknowledged it was the first time in his 21-year career he had walked out of the bench.

Judge Amir Shah apologized for his outburst, emphasizing the importance of professionalism during the inquest. Dr Wong stated the last student to see Zara before the fall was crucial in assessing her mental state at the time. He explained that this information would aid psychiatrists in understanding Zara’s conversation, appearance, speech, behavior, and emotional condition, which is vital in establishing her mental state and understanding the consequences of her actions.

Zara died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel around 4 am.