Kota kinabalu: The Coroner's Court here heard that interviewing Zara Qairina Mahathir's parents, including her father, Mahathir Hashim, was part of the process to understand the teenager's developmental history and psychosocial background.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Wong Haw Huo stated that the purpose was to obtain collateral information and understand the parents in the context of Zara Qairina's developmental history. This involved identifying the primary caregivers, their backgrounds, psychological characteristics, temperament, and personality traits, as Zara was still in a crucial developmental phase.

Dr Wong emphasized the importance of understanding the parents, including Mahathir, in Zara Qairina's upbringing as she transitioned towards adulthood. He elaborated that grasping the parents' roles and traits was essential, especially when responding to inquiries from lawyer Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip, representing Zara Qairina's father during the inquest proceedings.

Nurul Rafeeqa questioned the necessity of delving into the parents' childhood and marriage if the report also aimed to examine the relationship between Zara Qairina and her parents, alongside her mental state prior to her death. Dr Wong clarified that interviewing the parents was mandatory to gather comprehensive background information, extending to their lives before Zara's birth, to achieve a well-rounded understanding based on developmental principles.

'It will give us a reasonable and clear picture,' Dr Wong added, underscoring the significance of these insights.

Zara Qairina tragically passed away at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after being discovered unconscious in a drain near her school hostel at about 4 am. The inquest, overseen by Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, is set to continue on August 24.