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THE mother of the late Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, a cadet in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) Reserve Officer Training Unit (Palapes), has filed a supplementary affidavit with the High Court containing what is claimed to be a whistleblower's account of the circumstances surrounding her son’s death.
Her legal counsel, Datuk Naran Singh, told the court on Saturday that the new submission includes an audio recording stored in a USB flash drive along with a written transcript. The testimony is said to come from an anonymous individual referred to only as ‘A’, whose identity has been withheld for safety reasons.
“The individual reveals what happened on the day of the incident, including the parties allegedly involved,” said Naran, who appeared in court alongside fellow counsel Muhammad Aiman Haziq Saiful Kamal.
The affidavit was submitted before High Court Judge Datuk Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet. Copies of the recording and transcript have reportedly been sent to Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail, named as the first respondent, and to Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, the second respondent.
However, both respondents objected to the admission of the new material, citing concerns over its authenticity.
Senior Federal Counsel Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad, representing the first respondent, argued that the USB and its transcript must be submitted in court by the original source of the recording. “The individual who made the recording must appear before the court to testify,” he said.
Nonetheless, he added that the court has discretionary powers to protect the whistleblower’s identity if credible safety concerns are established. “The court may issue further instructions regarding the applicant’s concerns over the informant’s safety if their identity is disclosed.”
Federal Counsel Nurul Huda Mohd Salehuddin appeared alongside him.
Selangor Prosecution Director Datin Kalmizah Salleh, who represented the second respondent, also raised questions regarding the legitimacy of the two voices – one male, one female – heard in the recording.
“We must first determine the authenticity of the recording,” she said, accompanied by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Sabrina Zubairi.
Judge Bhupindar Singh has fixed Tuesday for a decision on whether the cadet’s grave will be exhumed to allow for a second post-mortem.
Syamsul Haris died on 28 July during a training session at the Army Training Centre (Pulada) in Ulu Tiram.
Earlier reports from the official inquiry conducted by the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) indicated no evidence of abuse. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin previously stated that testimony from all officers and instructors confirmed no mistreatment had occurred, and the training followed all standard operating procedures between 27 July and 2 August.
However, on 1 August, police announced they would launch a more thorough investigation into the cadet’s death. - August 25, 2025