THE Coroner’s Court heard on Monday that Zara Qairina Mahathir’s mother had harassed student A’s mother by asking her to alter her daughter’s police statement.
The 42-year-old housewife told the coroner that Zara’s mother had harassed her by sending WhatsApp messages scolding her for allowing her daughter (student A) to tell the truth to the police.
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“The Zara’s mother instructed us to retract Student A’s earlier statement given to DSP Roziah and told me to contact the officer concerned.
“Among the accusations made by the late Zara’s mother in the WhatsApp messages were that student A’s statement had been twisted, that the police were conspiring with the school principal, and that a retraction must be made to DSP Roziah.
“She also claimed that the diary was not written by Zara, said she did not believe the words ‘pukimak noraidah’ were written by the Zara, alleged that forensic findings had confirmed the handwriting was not Zara’s.
“She also accused the school of trying to fabricate evidence, accused my daughter of acting under the school’s instructions, and barred her from visiting Zara’s grave.
“I informed Inspector Wong and Ustaz Azhari about the harassment,” she said.
She further testified that following the incident, she brought her daughter to hospital for four times as the daughter has symptom Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder (PTSD).
In her opinion, the reason her daughter acted that way was the severe pressure imposed by the school.
“On the very first day, she was under immense pressure. She was isolated from the morning until 3pm when Zara was found unconscious.
“She was then taken to the Papar Police Station for questioning. The school treated my daughter as a shield for the warden, who should have been responsible for Zara.
“My daughter was made to act as the school’s spokesperson, explaining what had happened to Zara.
“I say this because we, as parents, were never contacted by the school when our daughter was taken to the police station.
“All background checks and details of Zara’s behaviour were handed to our child to explain to the police.
“While giving her statement, my daughter missed her meals in the hostel dining hall and went hungry until the evening.
“She was helping the school by giving evidence, but the school showed no care or empathy for her wellbeing.
“She could not eat at the canteen because it was closed. She also had no money or access to her bank card, which had gone missing in the hostel.
“The school completely washed their hands of responsibility and refused to explain what caused Zara to act as she did.
“Everything was left for my daughter to testify to the police.
“She was also taken to the police station several times without my knowledge and was removed from a hockey competition on the same day without being told why.
“All the effort, energy, and pain she endured to represent the school in hockey was disregarded,” she said.
