KOTA KINABALU (Jan 22): Former principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha, Shaharom Hashim, 51, told the Coroner’s Court on Wednesday that she was unaware of written statements from five students concerning the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir. The 47th witness, who was recalled to testify, said she only learned about the five students’ written statements after they were handed over to the police. “I was only made aware of the students’ witness statements on July 16 and 17 after they were handed over to the police,” she told the court when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan here. Asked by the coroner if any minister or deputy minister had visited the school after the incident, Shaharom said that, to her knowledge, there had been none. On Aug 8, the Attorney General’s Chambers ordered her remains to be exhumed for a post-mortem before announcing an inquest into her death on Aug 13.

Source: The Edge Markets January 21, 2026 16:57 UTC