SIPITANG: “I want a transparent, fair and just investigation.”
These were the words of Noraidah Lamat, the mother of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, who recently died after allegedly falling from the third floor of a school dormitory building.
The incident involving the student from Sipitang has also been linked to bullying among students at the school.
Noraidah, 45, a teacher, recounted that the last time she met her only daughter was during a school gotong-royong (communal work) programme on July 12.
“On that Saturday (July 12), the school held a gotong-royong. My daughter really wanted me to attend. Before that, she had called using a public phone and said, ‘Mama, please come’.
“I joked with her that I’m not good at gotong-royong. But the next morning, I left Sipitang at about 9am.
“Only a few people were there for the programme, so she was very happy. After the gotong-royong ended, we went straight back to Sipitang,” she said.
The following Sunday, she sent Zara back to the dormitory.
“I didn’t notice anything unusual; she was still her usual enthusiastic self,” she said.
Noraidah further said that on the same Saturday, Zara spent the evening at the Esplanade Public Park playing games with her friend until 7pm.
“I picked them up after that and we went home. The next day, I sent her back to the hostel.
“When we were about to leave for the dorm, she said she wanted to go back a bit later than usual. But I didn’t suspect anything. Around 1pm, I told her we had to leave. The latest she could arrive was by 3.30pm,” she said when met at her home today.
Noraidah also recalled that on Sunday, before returning to the dorm, Zara cooked egg bread.
“That was the last meal she brought and cooked at my house. I found it strange at the time. She cooked it for us,” she said.
Originally from Kampung Naluyan, Noraidah expressed hope that the investigation into her daughter’s death would be carried out transparently and fairly.
Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who visited Noraidah today, also presented a RM10,000 contribution from the Sabah State Education Fund (TPNS), in addition to other cash assistance.
Also present were Qhazanah Sabah Berhad chairman and Sindumin assemblyman, Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, and Yayasan Sabah director, Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, in a separate development, expressed condolences and visited the family at the hospital to ensure all their needs were met and their welfare looked after.
In a statement, she said the Education Ministry (KPM) would fully cooperate with the authorities in the ongoing investigation.
Papar police chief Superintendent Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka had said police were conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of Zara’s death.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
