Another UPNM military cadet abused using scalding iron

• UPDATED 5.45PM | Added police’s remark that they have not received a report about the incident.

Seven years after the brutal bullying and murder of navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, another case has surfaced at the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) where a student was abused using a hot iron.

The Armed Forces confirmed the incident, saying the victim was scalded on his chest using a hot iron, allegedly by a more senior cadet.

“UPNM’s Military Training Academy is investigating the incident.

“The investigation will be carried out thoroughly and it will not protect or compromise with anyone involved in the case.

“A strong disciplinary action or even legal action will be taken against those found culpable over this incident,” it said in a statement last night.

The statement however did not provide further details on the incident and those involved.

The Armed Forces also urged the public to give them space to investigate and not to make any speculation that could affect the case.

It pledged to provide public updates on the probe from time to time.

Meanwhile, police said they have yet to open an investigation into the alleged abuse case.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Rusdi Mohd Isa told Malaysiakini this evening that they have not received any report from the university or the Armed Forces regarding the incident.

“Belum ada (no report yet),” he said in a brief text message.

Burn mark

Yesterday, news portal The Merdeka Times published an exclusive report on the abuse incident, which allegedly happened at the university campus in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur last week.

According to the report that quoted a source, what happened to the victim came to light when a military officer in charge of a training session saw the burn mark on his chest.

On June 1, 2017, at Serdang Hospital, Zulfarhan died of injuries from 90 instances of steam ironing, which left scalding burns on 80 percent of his body.

The 21-year-old was allegedly subjected to multiple assaults over his refusal to confess to stealing a laptop of another student, at the public university’s dorm in Kuala Lumpur between May 21 and 22 that year.

Following the incident, six former UPNM students were convicted for Zulfarhan’s murder and given the death sentence.

The six were Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri, and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali.

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