The National Service Department today concluded their probe into allegations that a Sikh trainee had his hair cut without consent while in training, and found that there was no malice involved.

NONEIn a statement issued late today, department director Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil (centre) said the outcome of the probe was presented at a Defence Ministry post cabinet meeting chaired by the Minister of Defence Abdul Zahid Hamidi this afternoon.

"Based on what the witnesses said and evidence obtained, the probe committee concluded that there was no element of malice, involving neither trainees nor trainers," he said.

According to Abdul Hadi 19 eyewitnesses, including trainees, trainers, staff and the camp commandant, had assisted in the probe which took place today.

The internal probe committee consisted of the National Services Department operations director Kol Wan Zarihan Wan Ismail and Lt Thomas Aungoom from the Telok Rubiah national service camp in Perak.

"I hope that that no one will make any speculation about this case," he said.

Parents of a Sikh teenager attending training at the Seri Impian camp in Penang had lodged a complaint on Sunday that their son's hair, was cut in his sleep on Saturday night.

NONEThe boy's hair which initially reached his buttocks, is now only chest length.

In the Sikh religion, the cutting of hair is strictly prohibited as part of a practice known as kesh.

The boy, whose father is a Gurdwara priest, has been allowed leave from training until Jan 23, but his distraught parents have second thoughts about sending him back.

In his police report, the boy said that he realised that something was amiss when he was combing his hair at 6.30am on Sunday and contacted his father immediately.

NS lodges police report

Interestingly, Abdul Hadi said that the department has also lodged a police report at the Bandar Baru district police station in Kedah, but it is unclear what the report is about.

Malaysiakini has not been able to contact Abdul Hadi to seek clarification.