UPNM bully cases blemish on reputation of Malaysian varsities, says king

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, discussed the UPNM bullying cases during an audience he granted to defence minister Khaled Nordin today. (Istana Negara pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, has condemned the recent case of alleged bullying at the National Defence University (UPNM), which left a cadet with cracks on his ribs and spine.

The king maintained that bullying cannot be allowed to persist as it not only affected the wellbeing of victims but also blemished the reputation of Malaysia’s higher education institutions.

He also pointed out that the recent case at UPNM was not the first, but a death had been reported there in the past, referring to the murder of navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain at a UPNM hostel in May 2017.

“In the armed forces, tough training is normal, aimed at forging mental fortitude in cadets. However, this does not mean bullying or torturing someone to the point of causing physical harm or even taking their lives. Such actions are inhumane.

“I want the defence ministry to take this matter seriously as bullying cases have occurred several times at UPNM,” he said in a Facebook post.

Sultan Ibrahim granted defence minister Khaled Nordin an audience at Istana Negara today, where the king raised the issue of the UPNM bullying cases.

Police have recorded statements from 15 people in their investigation into the latest alleged assault of a 19-year-old cadet, who is said to have suffered cracks on his ribs and spine after being stomped on by a senior.

This came after another senior cadet, Amirul Iskandar Norhanizan, 22, claimed trial last week to assaulting Salman Saiful Surash, 20, by placing a hot iron on his chest at the UPNM hostel on Oct 22.

The most prominent reported case of bullying at UPNM involved Zulfarhan, who was assaulted by his peers non-stop for two days, from May 21 to 22, 2017, for allegedly stealing a laptop, which was never found.

In July, the Court of Appeal found six former UPNM students guilty of murdering Zulfarhan, overturning the High Court’s reduced charge for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

They were handed the death sentence.

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