Kota Kinabalu: A class teacher who taught Zara Qairina Mahathir for three months before the incident confidently identified the handwriting in Zara’s diaries as hers.
Mohamad Zabidi Husain, 34, the 52nd witness in the inquest, told the Coroner on Tuesday that he could recognise Zara’s handwriting 100 per cent.
During questioning by counsel Elmer Prem Gunasan, Zabidi was shown photographs of entries from Zara’s diaries.
Elmer: Teacher, you said you can recognise Zara’s handwriting?
Zabidi: Yes.
Elmer: Are you sure?
Zabidi: Yes.
Elmer: Are you confident you can identify her handwriting 100 per cent if shown to you?
Zabidi: Yes.
Elmer: Teacher, look at this picture. Is this Zara’s handwriting?
Zabidi: Yes, that’s correct.
Elmer: How do you know?
Zabidi: I was her class teacher. I recognise the way she writes the letter ‘J’.
Elmer: What is special about Zara’s letter ‘J’?
Zabidi: It looks like a fish hook.
Zabidi said he had never seen or read Zara’s diaries before this and did not know their contents were widely circulated among teachers at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha.
He testified that he last saw Zara on July 10 during a Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi (RBT) class. She appeared normal, showed no unusual behaviour and did not seem distressed. He said he had reprimanded her for chatting with classmates, after which she quietly continued her written exercise.
He described Zara as cheerful, with no disciplinary issues, and said she appeared very close to “Student A,” who was later transferred to another school on Aug 14. He added that Student A had submitted medical certificates on four occasions.
Zabidi, who is still teaching at the school, said he never received any complaints from other teachers during his time as Zara’s class teacher.
Responding to a question from Conducting Officer Mohd Fairuz Johari, he confirmed that Zara had once scribbled on a table, writing “Zara Comel, Zara 1 Fatimah…”
She admitted doing it when asked, and he instructed her to clean it.
As class teacher of 1 Fatimah, Zabidi acknowledged that teachers are responsible for maintaining classroom discipline.
To a question from counsel Clarice Vyone Conrad, he said he had not received any reports of disciplinary issues or bullying among the students in 1 Fatimah since taking over the class on April 13.
He was also unsure whether any theft had occurred.
