Inquest: Zara Qairina’s stepsister says she suffered emotional distress while living with mother

In the Coroner's Court in Kota Kinabalu, it was revealed that the older stepsister of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir experienced emotional distress while residing with Zara Qairina's mother for approximately seven months during her primary school years. Malianah Mahathir, aged 25, began living with her father and Zara Qairina's mother in 2011, following their marriage.

She stayed with them until June 2012 before relocating. Malianah described her stepmother's behavior as initially kind, but gradually changing to show dislike once her father left for work. During this period, Malianah, still a primary school student, had to manage her own daily responsibilities such as cooking, doing laundry, and organizing her school supplies.

Her stepmother frequently used harsh language towards her. In June 2012, Malianah transferred to Sekolah Kebangsaan Malaria's hostel upon her stepmother's insistence. Around 2013, while in Year Six, she moved back to live with her biological mother in Kampung Binunuk, Beaufort, completing her education until Form Three. She subsequently left school in 2016, worked briefly in Kota Kinabalu, and later moved to Kuala Lumpur to live with her aunt in Rawang, Selangor.

Malianah later returned to school, finishing from Form Four to Form Five. Zara Qairina, born in 2013, died on July 17, 2025, after being found unconscious near her school hostel at 4 am.