KOTA KINABALU, May 22 — A consultant forensic psychiatrist has told the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir that her diary was a safe space to express true emotions.

Dr Chua Sze Hung, 43, told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan that Zara’s diary contained truthful and genuine expressions.

“It is the raw private unfiltered psychological skeleton; it is the objective ‘living’ archive of her. It is an invaluable documentary evidence and personal artefact.

“In the forensic and psychological investigation, verbal interaction alone is a less accurate indicator of internal mental state given that adolescents tend to mask their distress and to conform frequently. They would present as outwardly pleasant and there is a risk of presenting the false self.

“In contrast, the diary, it is the truth, genuine self-representation; free of social psychological interpersonal pressure and judgment. Then it is a raw, private, unfiltered self,” Dr Chua testified.

To a question from conducting officer Dacia Jane Romanus, the witness said that None Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) or Barcode is a mild adaptive, emotion regulation strategy used for the purpose of regulating psychological distress, where those without psychological distress are unlikely to resort to it.

To another question, the witness further testified that psychological autopsy for adolescents is uniquely different from adults, as for the latter the focus would be the family members, spouse, colleagues, and friends.

“In adolescents, the main bulk of the informants should be the peers. I understand that these three family members (Zara’s aunty, uncle, and cousin) are not live-in family members, and encounters are occasional and cross sectional.”

Zara, 13, was found unconscious under her dormitory building on July 16, 2025 and died the next day in hospital.

On Aug 20, 2025, five minors, who were given the pseudonyms Student A, B, C, D, and E, were charged with using insulting words against Zara, with the court case currently ongoing.

The inquest continues today. — The Borneo Post

KUCHING, May 21 — A lorry driver was found dead after being trapped under mud following a self-accident involving a premix-laden lorry along Jalan Batang Lupar–Sadong near Kampung Tebeluk, Sebuyau today.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said it received an emergency call at 7.06am, with personnel from the Simunjan and Asajaya fire stations deployed to the scene.

According to a statement, police initial findings suggested the incident occurred around 5am after a front tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control before the lorry skidded into a muddy ditch.

“The accident caused the driver to become trapped inside the lorry under a pile of mud,” the department said in a statement.

Rescue teams carried out digging works inside the lorry cabin, while a crane and excavator were used to pull the vehicle out of the ditch to assist in extricating the victim.

The victim was later handed over to police, and the operation concluded at 3.40pm. — The Borneo Post

KUCHING, May 18 — The elderly driver who crashed into a coffee shop near the Jalan Rock traffic light intersection on Saturday had lost control of his sedan, police confirmed.

Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu also confirmed that two individuals from the coffee shop sustained minor injuries in the incident.

“The incident occurred at around 10.50am when the elderly man, aged 84, was reversing his sedan to exit a parking space.

“However, the driver then lost control of his vehicle as it is believed that he (mistakenly) pressed the accelerator pedal, before he crashed into the coffee shop’s equipment and stall, as well as two stall operators at the premises.

“Due to the incident, the victims, a 68-year-old male and 62-year-old female, sustained light injuries,” he said in a statement.

Alexson said both victims were treated as outpatients at Sarawak General Hospital.

The case is being investigated under the Road Traffic Rules 1959 (LN 166/59). — The Borneo Post

KUCHING, May 16 — An elderly man lost control of his sedan and crashed into a coffee shop near Jalan Rock traffic light junction here today.

See Hua Daily News reported that the incident occurred at around 11am, and the elderly driver was unharmed.

Personnel from the Civil Defence Force responded to the incident and arrived at the scene to provide assistance

It was also learnt that two individuals from the coffeeshop were sent to hospital by ambulance, possibly due to shock from the incident.

No other casualties were reported at the scene. — The Borneo Post