KOTA KINABALU: The mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir has appealed for all solidarity gatherings under the #JusticeForZara movement to be put on hold until the ongoing inquest into her daughter’s death is completed.
In a heartfelt Facebook post under the handle Noie AiDA, Noraidah Lamat thanked the public for their prayers, support and contributions, saying the presence and solidarity shown so far had greatly strengthened her family.
However, she urged organisers to temporarily suspend rallies to avoid the risk of disrupting court proceedings.
“I humbly request that any gatherings be postponed until the inquest concludes, so that full attention can be given to the court process.
“I am worried that participants may unintentionally interfere with the proceedings,” she said in her post yesterday.
Her appeal was accompanied by a joint media statement issued by her team of lawyers, who echoed her concerns.
The lawyers said six witnesses had testified before the Coroner’s Court so far, and that they were satisfied with the progress.
They expressed gratitude for the solidarity rallies and public donations which had helped fund the appointment of expert witnesses for the inquest.
At the same time, they raised concern over reports that several individuals had been arrested and charged in relation to speeches delivered during gatherings or comments posted on social media linked to the movement.
“We and our client do not want Zara’s name or the slogan ‘Justice for Zara’ to be tainted by the irresponsible actions of certain parties,” the statement read.
“We urge everyone to be cautious when making comments on social media regarding the proceedings and the evidence presented. This is crucial to avoid the risk of subjudice and disruption to the inquest,” they added, while emphasising that it is important to allow the judicial process to run its course.
“With patience and trust in the justice system, the truth will surface and justice will prevail,” read the statement signed by lawyers Rizwandean M. Borhan, Shahlan Jufri, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi, Farrah Nasser and Elhanan James.
