Kota Kinabalu: An emergency meeting was held on July 17, the day of Zara Qairina Mahathir died, but there was no outcome, said a teacher of SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha.
Yuslina Badrum, 38, who worked at the school since 2015, said the meeting was chaired by the principal following the incident where Zara was found unconscious on the grounds of the school hostel on July 16.
To a question from Conducting Officer Mohd Fairuz Johari, Yuslina said the meeting discussed about the incident.
“The meeting was quite brief, I think it was less than an hour.
“It discussed the chronology of what happened that day, starting from when Zara was found until she was taken to the hospital,” said the 49th deponent in Zara’s inquest Thursday.
Yuslina, who was also one of the hostel wardens, said the meeting, which involved teachers and wardens of the school, was held in the school meeting room.
“Also present were the PK HEM, the Discipline Unit, and the Counselling Unit,” said Yuslina.
She further testified that she did not go to the hostel on July 16 at about 3am after Zara was found unconscious.
Fairuz: Teacher, where were you at that time?
Yuslina: I was within the school area, at the teachers’ quarters.
Fairuz: Were you informed about the incident at that time?
Yuslina: Ustaz Azhari tried to contact me at that time, but I did not answer because I was still asleep. I also did not realise the calls he made. I only found out after I woke up at 5am.
Fairuz: Looking at the date July 15, since Cikgu Adorrie and Cikgu Adzlee were not hostel wardens, based on this duty roster, can it be said that there were no wardens on duty that night?
Yuslina: Yes.
Fairuz: Who prepared this duty roster?
Yuslina: Assistant head warden, Ustaz Rezany.
Yuslina further told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan that she received Zara’s belongings, namely two diaries one purple and one green, a brown diary, an exercise book, and 15 loose diary pages, from Cikgu Gloria and Miswati.
All the items were given to her under the instruction of Ustaz Azhari.
Fairuz: Teacher, did you read Zara’s writings in the diary and the papers that were handed to you?
Yuslina: Yes.
Fairuz: Why did you read Zara’s diary and writings?
Yuslina: Because we were conducting an investigation, and in an investigation it is normal to call any witnesses suspected to be involved. At that time, Zara was in critical condition, so we could not ask her what had happened. Therefore, the diary was used as a reference.
Yuslina then told the coroner that the public phone at the hostel had been shut off for one and a half days on the instruction of Ustaz Azhari.
She said during the period, students could contact their parents using the warden’s phone, the security guard’s phone at the hostel, or any teacher’s phone at the school.
As of 2025, Yuslina said she had not received any reports of theft or bullying cases.
She stated that if there were any complaints, the hostel management would conduct an investigation, and if the complaint was found to have basis, they would bring the case to the Discipline Unit and the Counselling Unit.
Yuslina added that parents would also be called in and if the case was serious, punishment would be given.
