“I was both her mother and friend,” Zara Qairina’s mother testifies

Noraidah Lamat testified that she was her daughter Zara Qairina's closest confidante, sharing all joys, sorrows, and friendship matters.

She managed Zara's care and schooling because her father was rarely home, making their bond both motherly and friendly.

Zara Qairina died in July 2025, shortly after being found unconscious at her school hostel, and an inquest is ongoing.

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 7 —The mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir testified at the Coroner’s Court today that she was the teenager’s principal confidante, to whom her daughter confided her troubles, joys, sorrows and matters concerning her friendships.

Noraidah Lamat, 46, the 82nd witness, testified that their bond was especially close and that she was not only a mother but also a friend to her only child.

“My relationship with Zara Qairina was indeed close. I was both her mother and friend. Whatever the matter, be it difficulties at school or amusing incidents, we would share everything,” she said during the inquest proceedings before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.

She said no one else in the household was a confidante for Zara Qairina, and accordingly, her daughter shared all her joys, sorrows and friendship matters with her.

During questioning by her counsel, Shahlan Jufri, Noraidah testified that she had attended to almost all of Zara Qairina’s needs since childhood, including preparing for school, clothing, religious school, homework and school-related affairs.

She testified that this was because Zara Qairina’s father, Mahathir Mohd Hashim @ Marikan, worked in Sipitang and was seldom at home, so she had to manage their child’s care, schooling, expenses, and welfare.

She stated that their close relationship also enabled her to discern shifts in Zara Qairina’s emotional state through what her daughter told her about her friendships, including occasions when the girl faced taunting.

Throughout Zara Qairina’s years in primary school, Noraidah testified that she had never observed her daughter suffering any serious emotional or behavioural difficulties.

She said when Zara Qairina was sad or disappointed, it usually related to a falling-out with a friend or to some incident in her daily life.

In such circumstances, Noraidah said she would offer words of encouragement and remind Zara Qairina that there are still opportunities for self-improvement.

Noraidah further testified that Zara Qairina had, from the outset, been eager to stay in the hostel, wishing to experience independent living and to have companions as well as senior students whom she could regard as elder sisters.

She said Zara Qairina was excited upon receiving the offer of admission to the boarding school, and that they had made preparations together, including buying clothes and other necessities.

The day she sent Zara Qairina to the hostel on Feb 18, 2025, was also the first time Noraidah had been apart from her only child.

Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after the Form One student was found unconscious near a drain at her school hostel at 4 am.

The inquest proceedings resume later this afternoon. — Bernama

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Noraidah Lamat 作证说，她是女儿 Zara Qairina 最亲密的知己，与女儿分享所有的喜悦、悲伤和友谊之事。

由于父亲很少在家，她负责照顾和教育 Zara，这使得她们之间的关系既像母子又像朋友。

Zara Qairina 于 2025 年 7 月去世，此前不久，人们发现她昏迷在学校宿舍里。目前，死因调查仍在进行中。

哥打基纳巴卢，10 月 7 日讯——已故少女扎拉·凯丽娜·马哈蒂尔的母亲今天在验尸法庭作证说，她是女儿最信任的人，女儿会向她倾诉自己的烦恼、喜悦、悲伤以及与友谊有关的事情。

第 82 位证人，46 岁的 Noraidah Lamat 作证说，她们之间的关系非常亲密，她不仅是她独生女的母亲，也是她的朋友。

“我和扎拉·凯里娜的关系确实很亲密。我既是她的母亲，也是她的朋友。无论是什么事，无论是学校里的困难还是有趣的事情，我们都会分享，”她在验尸官阿米尔·沙阿·阿米尔·哈桑主持的调查听证会上说道。

她说，家里没有其他人是 Zara Qairina 的知己，因此，她的女儿会和她分享所有的喜怒哀乐和友谊方面的事情。

在律师沙赫兰·朱弗里的询问下，诺拉伊达作证说，她从小就照顾扎拉·凯里娜的几乎所有需求，包括准备上学、衣服、宗教学校、家庭作业和与学校相关的事务。

她作证说，这是因为 Zara Qairina 的父亲 Mahathir Mohd Hashim @ Marikan 在 Sipitang 工作，很少在家，所以她不得不管理孩子的照料、教育、开支和福利。

她表示，她们之间的亲密关系也让她能够通过女儿向她讲述的关于友谊的事情，辨别出扎拉·凯里娜的情绪状态的变化，包括女孩遭受嘲讽的时候。

诺拉伊达作证说，在扎拉·凯里娜上小学的那些年里，她从未发现女儿有任何严重的情绪或行为问题。

她说，当 Zara Qairina 感到悲伤或失望时，通常与和朋友闹翻或日常生活中发生的某些事件有关。

在这种情况下，诺拉伊达表示她会给予扎拉·凯里娜鼓励，并提醒她仍然有机会自我提升。

Noraidah 还作证说，Zara Qairina 从一开始就渴望住在宿舍里，希望体验独立生活，并结交同伴以及可以视作姐姐的高年级学生。

她说，Zara Qairina 在收到寄宿学校的录取通知书后非常兴奋，她们一起做了准备，包括购买衣服和其他必需品。

2025 年 2 月 18 日，诺拉伊达将扎拉·凯里娜送到寄宿学校的那天，也是她第一次与自己的独生女分开。

2025 年 7 月 17 日，Zara Qairina 在伊丽莎白女王医院去世。此前一天凌晨 4 点，这名初一学生被发现昏迷在学校宿舍附近的排水沟旁。

死因研讯将于今天下午晚些时候继续进行。——马新社

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