Kota Kinabalu: The Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday that diary entries revealed that Zara Qairina Mahathir had been experiencing significant psychological pain.
Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Chua Sze Hung, the 67th deponent, said the contents of the diaries reflected Zara’s anger and frustration, including the use of harsh words directed towards her mother.
In response to questions from counsel Datuk Ram Singh, Dr Chua said various entries indicated, or at the very least reflected, conflicts she experienced that caused considerable psychological distress.
Dr Chua testified that Zara had written in her diary that she lacked mental strength and anticipated her own death if her situation did not change.
“In an entry in February 2025, the deceased mentioned that her mother often used abusive language and disagreed with whatever she did.
“She also planned to attend boarding school to distance herself from her mother and to find peace. She even stated in the diary that she would rather be bullied and have her belongings stolen than remain at home listening to her mother’s nagging.
“She said she was alone. She had hoped that being away from home and staying in a hostel would bring peace, but the opposite occurred,” said Dr Chua.
Dr Chua further testified that in June 2025, one of the diary entries showed that Zara had questioned why her life was unfortunate and stated that senior students held grudges against her.
He also noted that Zara had written that her mother hated and falsely accused her, while her father treated her poorly.
Dr Chua told the court that the diary also mentioned that Zara had allegedly been hit on the leg for using a mobile phone and was frequently scolded with negative remarks.
However, he emphasised that while the authenticity of the claims could not be verified, the diary reflected Zara’s perception of her mother.
He added that parental conflict was only one of several risk factors which, collectively, could contribute to making an individual vulnerable.
