I didn’t claim my daughter was murdered, says Zara’s mum
Noraidah Lamat, the mother of a student who died at a school dormitory, has denied claims that she publicly accused others of murdering her daughter. She clarified that her requests for investigation were aimed at understanding the cause of bruises found on the body, not to assign blame.
Why it matters
The inquest highlights public concern over student safety in residential schools and the importance of transparent investigative processes in cases of unexplained youth deaths.
Zara Qairina Mahathir died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17, 2025, a day after she was found unconscious near a drain at her school dormitory in Papar. (Facebook pic)
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.
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