KUALA LUMPUR – The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim has expressed serious concern over the latest bullying incident at the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), which resulted in a student suffering fractured ribs and spine.
In his statement on Facebook, Sultan Ibrahim emphasised that the culture of bullying must not be allowed to persist as it not only affects student well-being but also tarnishes the reputation of higher education institutions in the country.
He noted that this is not the first report of bullying at UPNM, with previous incidents even resulting in fatalities.
The Agong acknowledged that while rigorous training is typical in military training to build mental and physical resilience, it should never escalate to the level of bullying or inflicting physical harm.
“This is not to the level of bullying or torturing someone to the point of causing physical injury or death. This is an inhumane act.”
He urged the Defence Ministry to take this matter seriously as similar incidents have occurred multiple times at UPNM.
“I want the Ministry of Defence to take this matter seriously because bullying cases have happened several times at ALK UPNM,” the Agong added.
Earlier today, Sultan Ibrahim met with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at Istana Negara to discuss the issue.
Yesterday, Bernama reported that police have taken statements from nine individuals to aid the investigation of the UPNM student who was allegedly injured by a senior. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa stated that the individuals whose statements were taken included witnesses and university staff.
“The suspect has been identified and is scheduled to appear at the Cheras district police headquarters this afternoon for an interview,” Rusdi said.
The 19-year-old victim, a first-year student, reportedly suffered the injuries after a third-year senior student stepped on him. The incident occurred at 10.45 pm on October 21, but the police received the report only on November 8.
Khaled said on X that his ministry considers the incident inappropriate and damaging to the image of UPNM and higher education institutions. He confirmed that the police would handle the investigation.
The incident went viral on X when a woman claimed her younger brother was the victim, raising questions about the appropriateness of such bullying by UPNM students.
Rusdi later confirmed that the suspect has appeared at the Cheras Police headquarters to have his statement recorded. “The suspect was not arrested. Five other witnesses also had their statements recorded as of this afternoon,” he added. – November 12, 2024