KOTA KINABALU, Oct 6 – The Coroner’s Court was told on Tuesday that the older stepsister of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir suffered emotional distress while living with Zara Qairina’s mother during her primary school years.

Malianah Mahathir, 25, testified that she was 10 years old when she lived with her father and Zara Qairina’s mother following their marriage in 2011.

Appearing as the 81st witness in the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death, Malianah stated that she resided with them from late 2011 until June 2012 before moving out.

“Throughout the time I lived with my stepmother, she was good at putting on an act. When my father was at home, she would be kind to me. However, once my father left for work, she would change and show dislike towards me,” Malianah read from her witness statement before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.

Testimonial Highlights and Personal Background

During her testimony, Malianah detailed her personal background and household experiences during that period:

Household Conditions: Malianah stated she was forced to manage her own daily routine—including preparing meals, washing clothes, and getting school supplies ready—while her stepmother frequently directed harsh language toward her.
Educational Transitions: In June 2012, she moved into the hostel at Sekolah Kebangsaan Malaria upon transferring schools. By 2013, while in Year Six, she moved in with her biological mother in Kampung Binunuk, Beaufort, remaining there until Form Three.
Relocation to Kuala Lumpur: After leaving school in October 2016 and working briefly in Kota Kinabalu, she moved to Rawang, Selangor, at the end of 2016 to live with her aunt and complete Form Four and Form Five.

Malianah clarified that Zara Qairina was born in 2013, after she had already moved out of the family household.

Zara Qairina, a Form One student, passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after being found unconscious near the drain of her school hostel at 4:00 AM.

–NMT

Tags: Zara Qairina