Kota Kinabalu: A DISCIPLINE unit teacher agreed that Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death could have been avoided if the school had taken proper action on a complaint she received on March 14.
Nurul Syahada Ibrahim, the 45th deponent, agreed with counsel Datuk Ram Singh, who asked about the school’s action regarding the complaints from Student A’s mother from March until July this year.
She testified that the unit did not receive any complaint from Zara apart from the one on March 14 about sexual harassment.
Ram: If you had taken the steps you were supposed to (receiving complaints and taking action) and all were followed, Zara’s death could have been avoided?
Nurul: Correct.
Ram: Zara’s complaint was on March 14, 2025. Correct?
Nurul: Correct.
Ram: From March until the incident in July, it means these students had many misunderstandings. Correct?
Nurul: Correct.
Ram: So, as a discipline teacher, you did not stop all those things (the misunderstandings)?
Nurul: First of all, we truly never received any information related to Zara. If the matter had reached us, it would definitely have been investigated immediately.
However, I confidently say that Usra Puteri is a medium or platform for us in the discipline unit. We meet the female students face-to-face and tell and remind them about the manners they must observe at all times.
Nevertheless, whatever happened, we have already done our best to handle the matter as best as possible.
She also told the court that she was sorry for what happened to Zara.
Meanwhile, Nurul said she was not sure whether the act of “Kak M” who said “kalau aku touch-touch kau ni, berdarah-darah kau ni” (if I touch-touch you, you’ll bleed) was considered an offence, meaning a threat.
In response to a question from counsel Rizwandean M. Borhan about what action was taken against “Kak M” after they carried out the internal investigation, Nurul said Zara’s incident had been taken over by the police, so they allowed the police to proceed with the next action.
She was not sure whether a police report had been lodged regarding the matter.
