KUALA LUMPUR – The National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) must implement stringent measures to eliminate potential ragging practices, government backbenchers have urged, following several reports of bullying within the institution.
DAP’s Bukit Bendera MP, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, emphasised that while some may view ragging as a rite of passage, such abusive conduct should never be condoned—particularly in military institutions like UPNM.
She highlighted that although UPNM holds the responsibility of nurturing disciplined and honourable leaders, “deeply ingrained traditions” such as ragging undermine these core values, leaving behind harm and disillusionment.
“Within hierarchical environments like military institutions, there are some schools of thought that view hazing or ragging as a way to build character (by making students) earn their stripes while supposedly instilling discipline and respect.
“Ultimately, a decisive ban on ragging would send a very strong message (on how) UPNM stands for respect, integrity and accountability,” Syerleena told Scoop.
She added that such a ban could also be enforced by other universities and must be accompanied by educational campaigns to comprehensively dismantle ragging practices.
Robust reporting systems and victim-support mechanisms, she said, are also crucial to building trust and accountability, which will aid in fostering a culture of mutual respect and camaraderie without “toxic undertones of abuse”.
She noted that such a culture will be able to achieve the same goals of resilience and bonding as ragging, but in a way that aligns with the values UPNM strives to uphold.
Expressing similar sentiments, PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said the “negative” ragging practice is outdated as it tends to manifest itself as a bullying habit, highlighting how tertiary education institutes should not be regarded as “places for torture”.
“Universities are a place for intellectual activities, not physical and emotional abuse which encourage sadistic attitudes.
“We must push for battles of ideas and contests of opinions among university students instead of competitions based on physical and emotional abuse,” he said in a brief message to Scoop.
Meanwhile, Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Rahim asserted that parents should “boycott” UPNM until there is a guarantee of accountability from its administration.
“Who will take responsibility should there be repeat (bullying) offences? Whose heads will roll? Unless there is a guarantee, parents should boycott enrolling their children in UPNM.
“Otherwise, (your child) will face the wrath of bullies. Don’t regret it if your child comes home in a body bag,” she cautioned when contacted, theorising that even if UPNM does have a ragging ban in place currently, the apparent lack of enforcement remains an issue.
Echoing the lawmakers’ stance, Azimah said ragging, which is “in essence” bullying, should be banned in all institutions, adding: “By using the term ‘ragging’, it appears more diplomatic, milder and acceptable, (thus) allowing bullies to get away by hiding behind the act of ragging”.
Previously, former lawmaker Kua Kia Soong said the “veneer of tradition” masks the fact that ragging is simply systematic bullying as well as an exercise in power and control which normalises the abuse of the vulnerable.
The persistence of ragging, he said in an open letter earlier this month, is compounded by the complicity of educational institutions, which often turn a blind eye to the abuse, framing it as a rite of passage.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has since confirmed that junior cadet officers from UPNM have been separated from their seniors to curb bullying incidents, with the minister telling the Dewan Rakyat that first-years are often made targets of abuse.
Yesterday, Khaled said the decision on penalties for five cadets from UPNM’s Military Training Academy (ALK) who were involved in two bullying incidents last month will be revealed within two weeks.
He added that the proposed punishments – which include expulsion, fines, and the reimbursement of sponsorship funds received during their studies – have been decided by the ministry and are awaiting the approval of the Armed Forces Council.
It was recently reported that a first-year UPNM student, aged 19, suffered fractured ribs and spinal injuries after he was stomped on by a third-year senior student following roll call near the university’s field in Sg Besi.
While the incident is said to have happened on October 21, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said a report was only lodged on November 8.
It was previously reported that a fourth-year cadet officer from ALK-UPNM was charged with causing hurt to his junior using a hot steam iron at 11.45pm on October 22.
On November 8, Amirul Iskandar Norhanizan, 22, pled not guilty when charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous means.
The victim, second-year Muhammad Salman Mohd Saiful Surash, 20, 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, with the appellate court overturning the high court’s reduced charge for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, instead imposing the death sentence. – November 17, 2024