JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 2 — The Defence Ministry has set up a committee to investigate the death of a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Reserve Officer Training Unit cadet who died during training at the Army Combat Training Centre (Pulada) in Ulu Tiram, Johor, on Monday.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in addition to the ministry, the committee will comprise representatives from the Higher Education Ministry and Home Ministry.
“I was informed that a post‑mortem has been conducted, but we have yet to receive the results. However, at the Malaysian Armed Forces level, we have already established a committee to probe the cause and circumstances surrounding the cadet’s death,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after attending the Pasir Gudang Umno Division delegates meeting at Dewan Muafakat Taman Mawar here today.
Earlier, a news portal reported that the victim’s mother, Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun, 45, lodged a police report after she found severe bruising on her son, Syamsul Haris Shamsudin’s body.
Yesterday, Kota Tinggi police chief Supt Yusof Othman confirmed that no criminal elements were detected in the death of the 22‑year‑old cadet officer.
Police received a report on the incident at 5.33pm on July 28. Preliminary investigations found that the victim suddenly became incoherent and lost control while undergoing combat inoculation training at Pulada, around 2.30pm the same day.
He was then taken to Kota Tinggi Hospital but was pronounced dead while receiving treatment at the emergency department.
