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Kota Kinabalu: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek assured the family of Zara Qairina Mahathir that the incident involving the teenager would not be concealed and that investigations would be conducted transparently, the Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday.

Zara’s uncle, Abu Bakar Lamat, 47, testified as the 72nd deponent that the assurance was conveyed during a meeting between the family and the minister at the hospital following the teenager’s death.

Abu told the court that the minister had also informed the family that the school was instructed not to disclose any information, including to Zara’s next of kin, as police investigations into the incident were ongoing.

He said the meeting took place while family members were waiting outside the forensic unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after Zara’s body had been taken to the ground floor forensic department for funeral arrangements.

Reading from his witness statement before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, Abu said the family was brought into a special room to meet the minister, who offered words of encouragement and a personal contribution to the family.