KOTA KINABALU, Sept 4 — The lawyer for the mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir today urged the public to be mindful of the sensitivities surrounding the ongoing inquest into the 13-year-old schoolgirl’s death, asking for compassion as painful details are revisited.
Nizam Salleh, representing Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, said the 45-year-old had lost her only child not long ago, and deserves space and consideration.
“We need to be careful and remind ourselves to be vigilant and consider the feelings of a mother who has lost her daughter,” Nizam told reporters at the courthouse today.
“We have to be mindful — whether online or offline — with the words we use. Reports and speculation can cause various emotions. The purpose of this inquest is to find out all the relevant circumstances leading up to Zara’s death, not just the cause of death,” he said.
Nizam said the legal team is in contact with Noraidah but is not pressuring her to attend the proceedings every day, allowing her the space she needs to cope.
“It is important to give her the space she needs to continue with her life and to handle the emotional toll she will undoubtedly face as this inquest proceeds day by day,” he said.
Nizam was then coy on the whereabouts of former lead counsel Hamid Ismail, saying the latter has important official business to attend to but he was still assisting the legal team.
The inquest into Zara’s death, which began yesterday, is set to hear from 68 witnesses, including 35 minors. It will continue on September 8.
Zara was found unconscious on the ground floor of her dormitory at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar on July 16 and died the following day from internal brain injuries.
The inquest was ordered following allegations of improper conduct in the initial investigations, which sparked nationwide attention and outrage.
