KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry is studying the need to review Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM)’s student monitoring, security and welfare system following the fatal bullying of naval cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.
Its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the university cannot absolve itself from responsibility in the horrific bullying case.
"They cannot wash their hands of this case. The death of the student cannot be in vain," he said after attending a meeting with Umno division secretaries here today.
Hishammuddin, however, did not divulge details on how the system would be revised.
"We will discuss (the matter) and I will inform the public once it is decided upon," he said.
Zulfarhan, 21, died at the Serdang Hospital on June 1 after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of other university students on May 22 over a missing laptop.
According to reports, Zulfarhan was brought to the hospital with severe injuries, including burns on his body, believed to be from having a steam iron pressed onto his chest, hands and feet.
Thirteen students were arrested, remanded and released on bail until re-mention of their case for voluntarily causing hurt to their university colleague.
Five other UPNM students were charged with murdering the victim. They face the mandatory death sentence if convicted.
Meanwhile, on the Hawk 108 crash, Hishammuddin said most Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officers still feel that the aircraft is safe to fly.
"Therefore, I don't think there is a need for the RMAF to be using different aircraft," he said.
Pilots Major Yazmi Mohamed Yusof, 29, and Major Mohd Hasri Zahari, 31, were found dead in Chukai, Terengganu on Thursday following the disappearance of the RMAF Hawk 108 trainer jet they had been piloting.
The RMAF lost contact with the aircraft half an hour after it departed from the RMAF Kuantan air base at 11am.