KUALA LUMPUR – Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has filed a motion for the Dewan Rakyat to debate the issue of bullying cases at the National Defence University (UPNM).
Sharing a copy of his letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul in a post on X, the Muda lawmaker stated that bullying has become a systemic and normalised issue at the university.
“This is ridiculous. I have sent an urgent motion to Parliament for us to find a comprehensive solution so that the culture of bullying can be ended.
“Enough is enough. Do we wait for another death before taking action?” he questioned.
According to the letter dated today, Syed Saddiq filed his motion request under Standing Order 18(1) and (2) on requesting leave to discuss a matter of urgent public importance.
He argued that the motion must be expedited as the lives and safety of those at UPNM are at stake, adding that the motion is of public interest as bullying must be stopped across all higher education institutions in the nation.
“Until today, there are still cases of bullying (in UPNM) even though a shocking incident previously claimed a life at the same place.
“There is also a possibility that some cases are not reported to authorities as there could be concerns for the complainant’s safety,” he said.
Earlier today, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said that police have recorded statements from nine individuals to aid their probe into the latest bullying case in UPNM, where a first-year cadet suffered fractured ribs and spinal injuries after his senior stomped on him.
The incident was reported to have taken place at 10:45 pm on October 21 when the victim was at the side of the parade field after a roll call at the university.
While police only received a report on November 8, this incident marks the second known case of assault at UPNM in October.
On October 22, another cadet officer from the university’s Military Training Academy (ALK) was charged with causing hurt to his junior using a hot steam iron at 11:45 pm.
Amirul Iskandar Norhanizan, 22, pled not guilty when charged in the Sessions Court on November 8 under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous means.
The victim, 20-year-old Muhammad Salman Mohd Saiful Surash, suffered second-degree burns.
In 2017, the nation was left stunned by the tragic death of UPNM cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who died after being beaten and tortured with a steam iron pressed to most parts of his body several times.
Six former UPNM students were convicted of his murder, and the Court of Appeal later imposed the death penalty. – November 11, 2024