Mindef probes case of cadet beaten with rubber hose, ears bitten

 

The Defence Ministry has launched an internal probe against allegations of bullying involving an air force trainee.

"The ministry takes the issue seriously and a detailed, transparent investigation was immediately launched after a claim about the bullying went viral on social media.

"The air force has also accorded its full cooperation with the police on the latter's investigation into the matter," the ministry said in a statement today.

Elaborating, the ministry stressed that there will be no compromise on disciplinary violations, as well as instances of bullying and crime within its fold.

"Strict action according to the law will be taken against any officer of personnel found to be involved, or guilty in such case.

"At the same time, all quarters are urged to not speculate on the matter, which could jeopardise the probe into the matter."

'Lost sense of hearing’

Earlier yesterday, a netizen took to Twitter to allege that her brother, a junior air force trainee, was bullied by his seniors.

Among others, she said her brother was whipped with a slipper until he lost his hearing sense, whacked with a rubber hose, bitten on the ears, and had a cigarette put out on his tongue.

She further claimed that the family has lodged a report with an officer at the air force base where the alleged incident took place but to no avail.

Commenting on the matter, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said an educational institution should never be a place where students' lives become at risk.

"If the allegations are true, I urge the authorities to take immediate action.

"This bullying and ragging culture is no small matter. We don't want a recurrence of the late Zulfarhan's case," he tweeted.

This was in reference to the case of Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who was assaulted to death by fellow university mates in 2017.

In Nov 2021, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced the suspects to 18 years in prison after they were found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder of the victim. - Mkini