Hishammuddin speaking to reporters after a meeting with UMNO division secretaries. Bernama Photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry is considering to overhaul the education system at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) to address the problem of bullying, following the death of naval cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain on June 1.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he viewed the issue seriously, and wanted UPNM and the Military Training Academy to take full responsibility over all such incidents.
“We need to re-examine the existing system, if there is a need to amend we will amend it. We also can’t take a hands-off approach and not do anything about the victim’s death.
“I’m open to any suggestions, and if there are any, I will consider them,” he told reporters after attending a meeting with UMNO division secretaries here, today.
Zulfarhan Osman, 21, died at the Serdang Hospital on June 1, after being tortured for allegedly stealing a laptop owned by a friend on May 22.
The victim reportedly suffered burns on his chest, hands and feet believed to inflicted with a steam iron.
Five UPNM students faced the Magistrate’s Court in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday on the charge of murdering Zulfarhan Osman under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
Another student was charged with abetting the five accused, and was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries a similar punishment.
Meanwhile, 13 students from the university were charged under Section 330 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and which provides for a maximum prison term of seven years upon conviction. – Bernama