Another tragic incident at national service camp
Concerned CitizenPublished: Jul 29, 2009 7:18 AM | Updated: Jul 29, 2009 7:24 AM
A young man has all but lost his left eye while undergoing training at a so-called national service camp in Mersing recently.
A trainer allegedly flung his truncheon to the ground in a fit of rage during a marching session, and rebounded off the ground and hit the victim's left eye, seriously injuring it.
A young man has all but lost his left eye while undergoing training at a so-called national service camp in Mersing recently.
A trainer allegedly flung his truncheon to the ground in a fit of rage during a marching session, and rebounded off the ground and hit the victim's left eye, seriously injuring it.
The 18-year-old victim was sent to the Mersing Hospital and later transferred to the Batu Pahat Hospital, where he is now. After two operations, doctors are uncertain if he will ever regain his sight.
There has been no inquiry, no action for act of gross negligence that has cost a young man his eye and perhaps his future, although the victim's father has lodged a police report.
In typical official Malaysian fashion, there is no sense of accountability, sympathy and fair play for the victim.
What is even more disturbing is that the incident was not reported in the mainstream newspapers.
These party-controlled newspapers have probably been told to black out unfavorable news concerning the national service camps to protect the image of the defence ministry.
This belief is reinforced when cases of alleged sexual molest, assaults and extortion in national service camps are blacked or seriousness of it downplayed by these mainstream newspapers.
A number of people were injured and traumatised in these incidents which were picked up by the vernacular press.
I hope these camps will not becoming another "one-race dominated institution" that inflicts pain and injury both physically and mentally on hapless youths.
When a country closes one eye to violence inflicted upon its innocent youths, it may well be on the home stretch in the road towards a failed state. Let us bear this in mind.
A trainer allegedly flung his truncheon to the ground in a fit of rage during a marching session, and rebounded off the ground and hit the victim's left eye, seriously injuring it.
The 18-year-old victim was sent to the Mersing Hospital and later transferred to the Batu Pahat Hospital, where he is now. After two operations, doctors are uncertain if he will ever regain his sight.
There has been no inquiry, no action for act of gross negligence that has cost a young man his eye and perhaps his future, although the victim's father has lodged a police report.
In typical official Malaysian fashion, there is no sense of accountability, sympathy and fair play for the victim.
What is even more disturbing is that the incident was not reported in the mainstream newspapers.
These party-controlled newspapers have probably been told to black out unfavorable news concerning the national service camps to protect the image of the defence ministry.
This belief is reinforced when cases of alleged sexual molest, assaults and extortion in national service camps are blacked or seriousness of it downplayed by these mainstream newspapers.
A number of people were injured and traumatised in these incidents which were picked up by the vernacular press.
I hope these camps will not becoming another "one-race dominated institution" that inflicts pain and injury both physically and mentally on hapless youths.
When a country closes one eye to violence inflicted upon its innocent youths, it may well be on the home stretch in the road towards a failed state. Let us bear this in mind.
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