'I'm made the scapegoat,' trainer says over UiTM cadet's death

A trainer from the Reserve Officer Training Unit (Rotu) at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam claimed to have been made a scapegoat in the death of cadet Muhammad Amir Rusyaidi Muhammad Zaidi on Nov 13.

The corporal told Malaysiakini that he overheard discussions about creating a “scapegoat” to resolve the case and that he had become the sole subject of the investigation.

The father of one claimed that he was provoked by Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) investigators to confess to wrongdoing.

“Throughout this investigation conducted by the MAF, I am the only one being investigated. I’m not sure if there’s an investigation on other trainers or cadets at UiTM. (But) I’m the only one here.

“The other trainers haven’t contacted me. It’s as if they’ve disappeared. So, when asked if I feel like I’m being made a scapegoat? I say yes.

“Because at the base that day, they (discussed) wanting to create a scapegoat to resolve this case, to tell the public, especially the deceased’s parents, that this case was resolved due to my mistake.

“Throughout my service, I’ve never disobeyed orders,” he said.

He said that as a soldier, he always obeyed orders, regardless of whether they were written or verbal.

Malaysiakini is attempting to get a response from Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, his deputy Adly Zahari, and the MAF.

Besides the internal military investigation, the police also investigated criminal elements in the death and have completed the investigation paper which will be sent to the coroner’s court for an inquest.

Earlier, Malaysiakini reported that Amir died on Nov 13 after allegedly undergoing an extremely exhausting training session on Nov 10.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the student’s cause of death was determined as “heatstroke with multi-organ failure”.

The victim’s father filed a police report alleging that his son was abused, including being stomped on the chest, forced to move like a horse, ridden by the trainer, and ordered to jump like a kangaroo.

The 25-year-old cadet collapsed after the training and remained in a coma until his death.

‘Not abuse or bullying’

Meanwhile, the 30-year-old trainer also claimed a UiTM staff member from the student affairs division said they would create a chronology of the case similar to the bullying case that occurred at the National Defense University of Malaysia (UPNM) previously.

However, the corporal emphasised that UiTM could not do so because the incident during the Rotu fitness test was not a case of abuse or bullying.

The trainer also said the police advised him not to answer any questions related to crimes if questioned in the MAF investigation.

“But the MAF (investigators) forced me to say what the police had told me not to say. Questions about (allegations of) stepping on someone, kicking, and so on, are criminal matters. But why is the ATM asking, do they not understand their own jurisdiction?” he questioned.

He revealed that he faced 108 questions in the military investigation, and most of them were related to criminal issues.

The trainer also said he made a police report after the way the MAF conducted its investigation against him.

Meanwhile, the trainer said he had been transferred to various places after the incident.

He also said the deceased’s family, through the media, also put emotional pressure on him.

He also criticised those who revealed his name and face on social media.

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