PETALING JAYA: The mother of Zara Qairina Mahathir today denied claiming that her daughter might have been murdered.
Noraidah Lamat said this during questioning by lawyer Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah, who represents four individuals identified as students B, C, D and E in the inquest into Zara’s death.
Fikry suggested Noraidah’s belief that Zara could have been murdered was based on her observation of the bruises on her daughter’s back.
However, Noraidah denied saying this, adding that she was still waiting for the police report on Zara's death.
"No clear explanation was provided, leading to this case being brought to court," Berita Harian quoted her as telling coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan in the Kota Kinabalu coroner’s court.
When asked if the bruises were among the reasons she could not accept the possibility that Zara had committed suicide, Noraidah said: "I only asked the police to investigate this matter."
She said she was unsure if the bruises were from Zara being beaten, and only became aware of them when washing her daughter’s body on July 17 last year.
Noraidah said she then lodged a report at the Sipitang police headquarters, requesting an investigation into the bruises.
Fikry, however, referred to an Aug 3, 2025 statement issued via Noraidah’s family lawyer, which he said led the public to believe that Zara was beaten with blunt objects.
Noraidah said she had asked investigators to look into the matter and provide their findings because of the public's perceptions of the incident.
"If the investigators provide clarification, I am certain the public will not form negative perceptions," she said.
Zara died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after she was found unconscious near a drain at her school dormitory in the early morning.