Defence Ministry pledges to zip lips on Syamsul Haris death probe

Summary

• Lawyer Naran Singh confirms he withdrew an application for a gag order after receiving the Defence Ministry’s written pledge not to comment on Syamsul Haris Shamsuddin’s death until investigations conclude.

• He is demanding an explanation on why a medical officer, instead of forensic experts as requested by Syamsul’s mother, conducted the post-mortem at Sultan Ismail Hospital.

The Defence Ministry has pledged not to issue any more statements on Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) cadet Syamsul Haris Shamsuddin’s death until investigations are completed.

Lawyer Naran Singh told Malaysiakini that the pledge was made via a letter of undertaking from the ministry, dated Sept 24, and was signed by its secretary-general Lokman Hakim Ali.

Following this, Naran confirmed that Syamsul’s mother, Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun, has withdrawn her gag application against the Defence Ministry and its minister, Khaled Nordin, in court.

On Sept 18, Ummu obtained an interim order restraining Khaled and the ministry from issuing statements regarding the investigation into Syamsul’s death.

Naran told Malaysiakini that the interim order was in effect from that day up to Sept 26.

He added that if the Defence Ministry provides the letter within the stipulated time, then Ummu’s counsel will withdraw their gag order application, and vice versa.

Commenting further, Naran said he is demanding an explanation on the involvement of a medical officer in the post-mortem conducted on Syamsul’s body on July 29.

Naran explained that Ummu earlier expressed her desire for forensic experts to conduct the autopsy.

He said, despite Ummu’s wishes, the doctor travelled 40km to Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor Bahru to carry out the post-mortem.

“Who gave him (the medical officer) permission to go to Sultan Ismail Hospital to do the post-mortem?” Naran asked.

He said he had written letters about this issue to Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, the Kota Tinggi Hospital director, and Sultan Ismail Hospital’s forensic specialist.

As for the investigation into Syamsul's death, Naran said he is waiting for the report on the second post-mortem.

Bruises, bloodied eyes

Syamsul, 22, passed away at the Kota Tinggi Hospital in Johor on July 28. He had undergone Reserve Officer Training Unit (Rotu) training before his death.

Ummu suspected foul play after seeing bruises and bloodied eyes on Syamsul’s body before he was buried, which led to her lodging a police report.

Johor deputy police chief Abdul Latiff Mehat said on Aug 1 that the police were investigating Syamsul’s death.

The next day, Kota Tinggi district police chief Yusof Othman said no criminal element had been found in the case.

However, on Aug 2, Khaled issued a statement that the Defence Ministry had set up a committee to investigate Syamsul’s death.

Ummu then filed an application at the Shah Alam High Court on Aug 14, requesting that Syamsul’s body be exhumed and a second post-mortem as well as an inquest into his death to be conducted.

Judicial commissioner Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet allowed Ummu’s application on Aug 26 for Syamsul’s body to be exhumed and for a second post-mortem to be held.

His body was then exhumed on Aug 29, with the post-mortem conducted the next day.

On Aug 30, Naran said the second autopsy uncovered suspicious traumatic injuries that required further investigation.

He also said an audio recording and its transcripts of potential witnesses present at the scene of Syamsul’s death, as well as photos taken by Ummu before the first post-mortem, have been handed to the authorities.

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