A security guard has confirmed the existence of a culture known as “MA,” referring to meetings between senior and junior students, at the girls’ hostel of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar.
The sixth witness in the inquest proceedings, 65-year-old Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha, said she did not rule out the possibility that Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir had been called to attend such a session.
Linah, the mother of four, testified about the matter on the seventh day of the inquest when questioned by Zara Qairina’s family lawyer, Shahlan Jufri.
“At first, I didn’t understand what ‘MA’ meant, but the hostel students explained it to me. Usually, seniors call juniors to give guidance and advice. If you don’t show respect, even passing by without a smile, that’s considered part of the advice session,” she said, adding that the practice had been banned.
Shahlan asked: “Does ‘MA’ stand for ‘Mesyuarat Agung’?”
Linah replied: “I don’t know about that, I only know it as ‘MA.’”
Shahlan: “You mentioned earlier that ‘MA’ has been banned by the school?”
Linah clarified that it was not banned school-wide, but specifically in the hostel.
When asked why it was prohibited, Linah explained: “Senior students were acting on their own authority. They are not allowed to call juniors freely. If there’s a mistake, it should be reported to the teacher, and the teacher will advise. The teacher should call, not the senior students. Often, the teachers did not even know this was happening.”
Shahlan asked about the timing: “The 2025 school session began in March. When was the last time you heard about ‘MA’?”
Linah responded: “It has been a long time; it seems like it hasn’t occurred recently.”
Shahlan: “Could Zara Qairina have been called for ‘MA’ because of the alleged theft?”
Linah replied: “It’s possible.”
When questioned about how many times she had given statements to the police regarding the case, Linah said: “Seven times.”
The inquest, presided over by Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, is ongoing.
Zara Qairina, 13, passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17. She was admitted to the hospital a day after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel in Papar at around 4am.
On August 13, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) ordered an inquest after reviewing the police investigation report. Prior to that, on August 8, the AGC issued an order to exhume Zara Qairina’s grave for a second post-mortem examination.
