{
  "id": 6411928,
  "title": "I also considered positive aspects of Zara’s diary, says forensic psychiatrist",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/i-also-considered-positive-aspects-of-zaras-diary-says-forensic",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T09:54:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/09/i-also-considered-positive-aspects-of-zara-s-diary-says-forensic-psychiatrist"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zara Qairina Mahathir, aged 13, passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17, 2025, after being discovered unconscious near a drain at her school hostel in Papar the previous day. During testimony before the Kota Kinabalu coroner’s court, forensic psychiatrist Dr Chua Sze Hung noted he had considered the positive aspects of Zara’s diary during his evaluation. Several entries in the diary highlighted casual interactions with friends, and many entries revolved around her school life. When questioned by the coroner, Dr Chua clarified that assigning a numerical score to the diary’s positive and negative aspects was unproductive, as it prevented a comprehensive understanding of her psychological traits and context. Dr Chua acknowledged Zara’s vulnerabilities, including the trauma she experienced, particularly her prayers for her own and others’ deaths. When asked if the positive aspects were mentioned in his report, Dr Chua responded that he included brief sections discussing her adaptation to her new environment and related dynamics, but not extensively. Regarding potential bias in witness statements, Dr Chua explained that his evaluation relied on multiple sources to verify the information. He emphasized that information from a single source would be explicitly identified as such. He also mentioned examining the narratives’ structure, including their logic, any omissions by witnesses regarding certain facts, and unnecessary explanations. Dr Chua acknowledged that completely eliminating bias is unattainable. Zara’s remains were exhumed for a post-mortem on August 8, and a formal inquest into her death commenced on August 13.",
  "summary": "Dr Chua Sze Hung tells coroner that much of the entries related to the teenager’s life at school.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}