KOTA KINABALU, May 22 -- The Coroner's Court here yesterday heard that stressful interrogations by senior students and the subsequent isolation of Zara Qairina Mahathir had directly contributed to her alleged suicide.

Consultant forensic psychologist Dr Chua Sze Hung said it was his opinion that the actions of the seniors the night before Zara was found underneath the school dormitory building were direct factors, when he concluded in his psychological autopsy report that her death was most likely a suicide.

"I would like to highlight that the perceived child-parent conflict is not a direct factor in this suicide. It is one of the many predisposing factors, or known as indirect factors.

"The direct factor here, in my opinion, is the st...