KOTA KINABALU, Sept 18 — The Coroner’s Court today heard further allegations of bullying at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha that may not have been confined to Zara Qairina Mahathir.
The inquest was told that graffiti mocking Zara Qairina as “perasan cantik” — or “thinks she’s pretty” — was scrawled on a classroom wall, and that bullying at the school may have extended to another student who has since transferred out following Zara Qairina’s death.
The school hostel’s chief warden Azhari Abdul Sagap confirmed he was aware of the graffiti in the school’s Design and Technology (RBT) room but denied knowledge of an alleged female student group known as “Circle 19.”
Pressed by lawyer Shahlan Jufri, Azhari also acknowledged that Zara Qairina was likely subjected to unsanctioned questioning by her seniors before she was found critically injured on the hostel grounds.
“Yes, she was accused of stealing by Form One students,” Azhari testified, adding that the students had gone through her locker and bag in search of missing items without permission from her or the wardens.
Earlier, the court also played an audio recording in which Zara Qairina was heard telling her mother about another student, “Kak M”, using threatening words against her — which Azhari described as a reaction from someone who was “emotionally unstable.”
Separately, lawyer Joan Goh presented messages from another student’s mother, showing months of complaints of harassment and theft that allegedly left her daughter feeling isolated.
The complaints, lodged between March and July, alleged that her daughter’s locked cupboard had been pried open, her belongings tampered with and strewn about, money stolen, items used without permission and that she was ostracised after speaking out.
Azhari confirmed receiving the complaints over Telegram but said he had “investigated” the matter by questioning the victim — a student referred to as “A”, who he said seemed unbothered — as well as those accused, who denied any wrongdoing.
He said no action was taken because there was “no proof”, adding that A never personally approached him and that all complaints came from her mother.
“We do make reports if there is evidence. But in these cases, there was none,” he told the court.
Goh detailed multiple messages sent by A’s mother over four months, including an official request to move her daughter to another dorm, saying the situation was out of control.
In response, Azhari said he had asked the student if she was “okay” during class, but she remained silent and appeared unbothered.
At one point, Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan and lawyers debated whether questions relating to other complaints should be allowed, with Shahlan objecting that they went beyond the inquest’s scope of determining Zara Qairina’s cause of death.
Goh argued the pattern pointed to a culture of neglect and bullying at the school.
“My client is also a victim. We do not even know what she had done to be accused in court of bullying,” she said.
The inquest continues tomorrow with Azhari still on the stand.
