Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak today condemned as "unforgivable" the actions of senior airforce trainees who allegedly tortured a recruit, including forcing him to drink his own vomit.

Najib, who is also the defence minister, vowed to take tough action if the seniors were found guilty, including sacking them from the airforce academy.

"They are under investigation by the airforce inquiry board and the police. They can be expelled or face legal action if found guilty," he said.

"This is something that is deplorable and cannot be accepted. It is against every form of discipline that should be honoured by our cadets. What happened is unforgivable," Najib said.

The plight of the 20-year-old recruit, Muhammed Hazim Ahmad Azman, was made public after his father lodged a police report last week.

The father had seen footage of the alleged abuse captured on a mobile phone and digital camera of Hazim's friend.

Stern action to be taken

The airforce has identified at least 15 senior trainees allegedly involved in the torture.

The official Bernama news agency said police had began questioning the academy trainees, who also allegedly dunked the recruit in sewage drums during the torture sessions, some of which were videotaped.

They face one year in jail if found guilty of causing injury.

"If it is proven that they had done this, then we will take stern action," Najib said.

The torture, which allegedly began in September last year, included making the aeronautical engineering student crawl on his knuckles.

Footage of the harassment at the training college in Kepala Batas, in northern Penang state, was also aired by popular private television stations TV3 and 8TV on Monday.