{
  "id": 12386933,
  "title": "I never met Zara, stepsister tells court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/i-never-met-zara-stepsister-tells-court-12386933",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T12:24:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/06/i-never-met-zara-stepsister-tells-court"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malianah Mahathir, the stepsister of Zara Qairina Mahathir, testified in coroner's court that she had no personal knowledge of how Zara's mother cared for her. Malianah, 25, stated she only knew about Zara's life and family through social media posts and information from Zara's father. When asked by lawyer Shahlan Jufri representing Zara's mother, Malianah confirmed that she had never met or interacted with Zara personally and acknowledged that all her knowledge about Zara came from others. She agreed her testimony about unpleasant experiences was related to Zara's mother, not Zara. When questioned by lawyer Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip representing Zara's father, Malianah admitted she was happy initially living with Zara's mother and was treated well at first, but then made no further comment. The inquest proceedings will resume with new witnesses tomorrow.",
  "summary": "Malianah Mahathir says her testimony concerning unpleasant experiences she endured involved Zara Qairina Mahathir's mother, not the deceased herself.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Zara Qairina's stepsister recounts Facebook argument in court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/zara-qairinas-stepsister-recounts-facebook-argument-in-court",
        "published": "2026-10-06T08:28:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "‘A happy family?’: Zara Qairina’s stepsister says she never met teen, but regularly viewed photos on social media",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/a-happy-family-zara-qairinas-stepsister-says-she-never-met-teen-but",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:20:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "I never met Zara, stepsister tells court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/i-never-met-zara-stepsister-tells-court",
        "published": "2026-10-06T12:24:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}