KOTA KINABALU: The Coroner’s Court heard that Zara Qairina Mahathir was an active, cheerful and well-loved student who was deeply involved in school activities.
Her former primary school teacher, Nurain Jabah, testified that she last met Zara in May 2025 and described her as healthy and happy, adding that she was devastated upon learning of Zara’s death.
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Nurain said Zara had visited her at school and shared that she was doing well in secondary school and was not being bullied.
She described Zara as talkative and open about her problems, often seeking advice on resolving misunderstandings with friends.
Zara was also close to her mother, Noraidah Lamat, who regularly sent and picked her up from school.
The court was told Zara frequently volunteered for activities such as storytelling, Quran recitation and nasyid singing, and had represented the school in storytelling competitions at district level under Nurain’s guidance.
