Authorities have found no evidence of physical abuse on the late Universiti Teknologi Malaysia cadet Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, according to Defence Minister Khaled Nordin.
Preliminary post-mortem results showed no signs of injuries caused by physical abuse, though the full autopsy report is expected in two months. Khaled also confirmed that police have completed taking statements from witnesses, including Syamsul’s trainers and fellow cadets, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.
“Investigations are proceeding according to standard operating procedures, and first aid was administered during the incident,” he said.
Syamsul, 22, the eldest of three siblings, passed away on July 28 under unclear circumstances while undergoing Reserve Officer Training Unit (ROTU) training at the Army Combat Training Centre in Ulu Tiram, Johor. He started training on July 26 and was scheduled to complete it on August 3. Syamsul’s family had previously called for a transparent and fair investigation, including a second autopsy, citing concerns over bruises and injuries suggesting possible physical assault.
On Monday, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abd Kadir said a special committee investigating the death is expected to submit its report soon.
