Zara Qairina feared hostel gang would worsen bullying if mother intervened, inquest told
FEAR of reprisals from a group of senior students stopped Zara Qairina Mahathir from allowing her mother to intervene over repeated complaints about problems at her school hostel, the inquest into her death heard today. Her mother, Noraidah Lamat, 46...
Zara Qairina Mahathir feared that her mother's intervention with the school administration could escalate the bullying she experienced at her hostel, according to the inquest into her death. Her mother, Noraidah Lamat, testified that Zara Qairina had prevented her from meeting with the hostel warden, security guard, and senior students to discuss the issues.
During questioning by lawyer Joan Goh, who represents one of the accused teenagers, Noraidah explained that her daughter feared the gang-like behavior of the older students. Despite her daughter's reluctance, Noraidah remained confident in the school's administration, as it was a well-known religious school in Sabah. However, she admitted that she never anticipated a fatal incident at the school, as Zara Qairina's complaints about bullying were not isolated occurrences.
Tragically, Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, after being found unconscious near a drain in her dormitory earlier that morning.
Written by urgent.news from The Vibes's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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