KOTA KINABALU: A child witness testified that teachers at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha, Papar did not authorise senior students to be rude to junior students.
Lawyer Joan Goh, representing a teenager involved in the bullying case, shared the 13th child witness’s testimony from the 22nd day of Zara Qairina Mahathir’s inquest.
The witness, a senior student and Circle-19 group member, stated that teachers were unaware of their rude behaviour toward other students.
According to the witness, they were merely following previous senior students’ practices because they had been treated similarly as juniors.
“The witness said that she and other senior friends were never given permission by the teacher to reprimand, scold and judge students who did wrong,“ Goh told reporters after proceedings.
The witness also testified they did not inform teachers about a dormitory theft case or that Zara Qairina was suspected of involvement.
Recounting the July 15 incident, the witness said she questioned Zara Qairina about the theft after being asked by another witness to resolve the issue.
About 15 to 20 minutes later, Zara Qairina remained silent, prompting the witness to return to her room feeling unable to help.
The witness stated she saw Zara Qairina enter her room and did not see her again until approximately 3 am on July 16.
She was awakened by a friend who reported someone had fallen below the dormitory.
“The witness said she looked from the third floor and saw Zara Qairina lying on her back and unconscious,“ Goh explained.
The witness claimed she did not know what happened and only learned in the morning that Zara Qairina was believed to have fallen from an upper floor.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mohd Syahrulnizam Mohd Salleh, representing Zara Qairina’s mother, shared the 12th child witness’s testimony.
This witness revealed she had been roughed up by a senior student multiple times as a junior student, including being subjected to abusive language.
“The witness said that she would be sad after being called out by a senior student when she was a junior student,“ Mohd Syahrulnizam said.
The witness reported the rough treatment to teachers and wardens but could not recall whether the school took any action.
Mohd Syahrulnizam said the witness explained that teachers knew the terms MA (Dormitory Meeting) and MB (Room Meeting).
MA refers to mass meetings between senior and junior students, while MB involves dormitory residents sharing a room.
“The witness said that when she was a junior student she also experienced MA,“ he stated.
The witness was uncertain whether senior students conducted MA against other seniors but confirmed they typically conducted MA against juniors.
Lawyer Azhier Farhan Arisin, representing four children in the bullying case, shared the same witness’s testimony regarding the July 15 incident.
The witness revealed that senior students questioning Zara Qairina about the theft did not yell, act rudely, or use abusive language.
The witness, also a senior student and Circle-19 member, said they asked questions in a normal tone despite being told a senior had yelled at Zara Qairina.
Zara Qairina, 13, was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory at 4 am on July 16.
The inquest continues tomorrow. – Bernama
