Papar: The head warden of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha clarified in the Coroner's Court that the term 'MA', used among students in the school hostel, stands for Mesyuarat Asrama, indicating a group meeting.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azhari Abd Sagap, 31, testified that 'MA' generally signifies a meeting involving multiple students rather than an individual session where a student is singled out for questioning. Azhari provided this explanation while being questioned by lawyer Shahlan Jufri during the ninth day of the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina, with Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan presiding.

During the court session, Shahlan inquired about the existence and purpose of 'MA' in the hostel. Azhari responded that his understanding of the term was that it implied a collective setting rather than a personal interrogation. He mentioned that senior students conducted an informal inquiry into a theft allegation involving Zara Qairina, merely asking her whether she committed the theft.

Earlier testimony from the school's security guard, Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha, 65, confirmed the presence of the 'MA' culture at the hostel, referring to senior-junior meetings. Linah acknowledged the possibility that Zara Qairina might have been called for such a session. However, she noted that the 'MA' practice had been prohibited after senior students exceeded their authority in such meetings.

The inquest into Zara Qairina's death is set to continue. Zara, 13, passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, a day after being discovered unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at around 4 am. Her remains were exhumed on August 8 for a post-mortem, and an inquest into her death was announced on August 13.