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THE death of a 22-year-old Reserve Officers Training Unit (PALAPES) cadet from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) during a training exercise has been confirmed to have involved no elements of abuse, the Defence Ministry announced today.
The cadet, Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, collapsed and died while undergoing military training at the Army Training Centre (PULADA) in Skudai on 28 July.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said an internal investigation conducted by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) found no evidence of mistreatment during the training.
“All witnesses, including officers and instructors, confirmed that no abusive behaviour or misconduct occurred throughout the exercise,” he said at a press conference after officiating the 2025 Education Excellence Awards ceremony at Wisma Perwira.
The training session, held from 27 July to 2 August, was conducted in accordance with established guidelines and standard operating procedures, according to the minister.
“The instructors in charge of the training confirmed that all activities were conducted in line with safety protocols,” he added.
A post-mortem conducted at Kota Tinggi Hospital also revealed no signs of physical injury, a finding consistent with initial police investigations.
The incident reportedly occurred on the second day of the training session, during a combat inoculation exercise involving more than 30 participants.
“He exited the session and was found in a condition that ultimately led to his death,” Mohamed Khaled said.
He further noted that initial medical reports confirmed all first-response measures had been carried out in accordance with protocol.
“The precise cause of death will only be confirmed once the hospital completes its detailed autopsy report, which is expected to take two to three months pending laboratory analysis,” he said.
The MAF has so far found no evidence of criminal elements but has pledged full cooperation with police should any new findings emerge.
The minister had earlier announced on 2 August that a special investigation committee had been formed to look into the incident, comprising representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Health.
Asked about the family’s request for a second post-mortem, Mohamed Khaled said the decision would rest with the police or the hospital. - August 13, 2025