The tragic death of navy cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain has shocked people across Malaysia and brought attention to what some see as unhealthy ragging activities happening in tertiary education.
Recently, a second-year cadet officer at the Military Training Academy (ALK), National Defense University (UPNM), Sungai Besi, is believed to have been a victim of bullying and abuse.
Another case of a cadet getting pressed with an iron
The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) issued a statement on their Facebook page confirming the incident and detailing how the victim was pressed with an iron on the chest, resulting in burn marks.
They also stated that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that no party involved in the case would be protected or compromised, and emphasised that strict disciplinary action or legal measures would be taken against those involved if proven guilty.
There were screenshots of the victim’s injuries
In an interview with The Merdeka Times, it was mentioned that the incident involving the male cadet officer accidentally came to light and was discovered by the duty officer after the victim participated in unarmed combat training last week.
Screenshots of the victim’s injuries, believed to have come from a WhatsApp group of the involved cadet officers, have since been deleted but were shared by a source.
In their comments, the ATM urged everyone to let them conduct a thorough investigation so that justice can be served for those affected. They also asked the public to avoid making any speculations that could disrupt the investigation process.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments!
Also read: UPNM Allows 13 Students Involved in Navy Cadet’s Death to Continue Studies