KUALA LUMPUR, 4 August 2025 – The Malaysian Army has pledged to conduct a thorough review of its training procedures following the tragic death of Reserve Officer Training Unit (Palapes) cadet, Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, a 22-year-old student from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
Army Chief, General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, expressed deep regret over the incident, affirming the army’s commitment to investigate the circumstances surrounding the cadet’s passing and to prevent any future occurrences.
“We will examine the training procedures to identify weaknesses and make improvements. The safety of trainees remains our top priority,” said Army Chief.
Syamsul Haris died on 28 July while undergoing Palapes training at the Army Training Centre (Pulada) Combat Inoculation Range in Ulu Tiram, Johor. He had only joined the training programme a day earlier, and his sudden death has raised concerns from his family.
His mother, Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun, is demanding answers. She claims the post-mortem findings revealed severe injuries on her son’s body, inconsistent with the initial explanation that he had died due to a seizure.
In response, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced the formation of a multi-agency task force comprising representatives from the Defence Ministry, Home Ministry, and the Higher Education Ministry. This team will work in parallel with an internal Armed Forces committee established to determine the true cause of death.
Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi police chief Superintendent Yusof Othman confirmed that police investigations are ongoing.
Syamsul was buried earlier this week after his family received the devastating news on Monday. His untimely death has prompted a national conversation on the need for rigorous oversight and accountability in military training programmes.