SERDANG: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has urged all parties to await the results of the second post-mortem conducted on Reserve Officers Training Unit cadet Syamsul Haris Shamsudin and refrain from speculation.
The armed forces have questioned more than 30 individuals including instructors and fellow trainees to determine whether foul play contributed to the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Palapes cadet’s death.
Preliminary investigations found no evidence of physical abuse according to the minister who noted the deceased did not stay overnight during training at the Combat Inoculation Shooting Range in Ulu Tiram Johor.
“He commuted daily from the university throughout the training with sessions conducted in an open field alongside other cadets,“ Mohamed Khaled told reporters after delivering the Defence Minister’s Executive Lecture at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
The minister added that any unusual rough treatment would likely have been documented by other cadets through photographs or other means.
Syamsul Haris aged 22 died at Kota Tinggi Hospital on July 28 after undergoing training and was buried at Kampung Rinching Ulu Muslim Cemetery in Semenyih the following day.
The Shah Alam High Court ordered the exhumation of his body on August 26 following an application by his mother Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun on August 19 for a second post-mortem and inquest.
Authorities conducted the second post-mortem last Saturday with the remains reburied at Kampung Rinching Ulu Muslim Cemetery at 6.09 pm the same day.
Mohamed Khaled earlier delivered a lecture to 1,927 Palapes cadets from 20 public universities nationwide who are scheduled to receive their Palapes Cadet Officer Commissions on September 13.
His address covered the spirit of independence future challenges of the defence industry the nation’s role in addressing international conflicts and the contribution of Palapes cadets to national defence and society.
The event was attended by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaafar Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain and Air Force Chief Gen Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan bin Aris. – Bernama