Kota Kinabalu: Zara Qairina Mahathir was experiencing acute emotional dysregulation in close temporal association with the events during the night of the confrontation, the Coroner’s Court heard.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Wong Haw Huo testified that the events of July 15, 2025 were clinically significant from a psychiatric perspective.
In reading his witness statement, the 75th deponent said the available witness accounts described an acute group confrontation involving accusations, inspection of belongings, negative comments, public ridicule, visible distress, crying, denial and subsequent isolation.
He further said Zara was reportedly accused and confronted by several students and seniors, Zara reportedly denied wrongdoing and became visibly distressed.
Dr Wong further testified that the materials described Zara as appearing emotionally overwhelmed after the confrontation and later isolating herself and the reported absence of immediate peer comfort or support after the confrontation is clinically relevent.
He told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan that the audio recordings between Zara and her mother were also clinically important.
“They reflected frequent communication, reassurance-seeking, humour, affection, practical involvement and emotionally spontaneous exchanges between mother and daughter.
“Zara frequently sought reassurance, guidance, practical advice and emotional support from her mother regarding daily activities, peer interactions, school life, safety, school supplies, finances and interpersonal concerns.
“From a psychiatric perspective, Zara’s mother appeared to function as a primary source of emotional containment, reassurance, interpersonal processing and psychological safety for Zara,” he explained.
To another question, testified that the materials such as Zara’s diary and loose handwritten sheets attached a pattern of increasing interpersonal sensitivity, emotional reliance on significant peer relationships and difficulty regulating distress when relationships felt unstable.
“From a psychiatric perspective, the writings (diary and loose handwritten sheets) were more consistent with emotionally driven and progressively dysregulated attachment-related functioning in a psychologically vulnerable adolescent, rather than evidence of malicious or predatory intent.
“Although some writings contained episodic expressions of anger or frustration towards her mother, the broader contemporaneous material, including audio recordings, photographs and collateral accounts, did not support a conclusion of sustained rejection, emotional detachment or relational breakdown between mother and daughter,” said Dr Wong.
Wong was appointed by solicitors acting Zara’s mother Noraidah Lamat to assist in this inquest by preparing an independent retrospective psychiatric report of Zara.
“I prepared the report jointly with Dr Aili Hanim Hashim, Consultant Psychiatrist and the report is entitled “Independent Retrospective Psychiatric Report”.
“The purpose of the report was to provide an independent psychiatric opinion regarding Zara’s mental state prior to her death and to identify psychiatric, psychological and psychosocial factors reasonably relevant to the circumstances surrounding her death.
“No direct psychiatric examination of the deceased was possible, the opinion is therefore retrospective in nature and based on the available records, collateral information, writings, audio materials, interviews and inquest materials,” said Dr Wong.
Dr Wong said that the materials reviewed included post-mortem and medical reports, the scene examination report, chemical and document examination reports, notes of inquest proceedings, personal writings and notebooks, audio recordings, photographs, videos, TikTok-related materials, digital communications and interviews with Zara’s parents.
He added that the available material did not support a conclusion that Zara suffered from a chronic psychotic disorder or severe enduring mood disorder prior to the material events.
The inquest will continue in July this year.
