Sudden death or foul play? The unanswered questions surrounding a UTM student’s death
Multiple agencies are now involved in the investigation, but questions remain over what happened that day.
SHAH ALAM - The death of 22-year-old Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) student and Pasukan Latihan Pegawai Simpanan (Palapes) trainee, Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, during a training exercise in Johor on July 28 has raised public concern.
It has also prompted calls for an inquest and demands for answers from his grieving family.
Multiple agencies are now involved in the investigation, but questions remain over what happened that day.
The Incident
According to Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Superintendent Yusof Othman, police received a report at 5.33pm on July 28 that Syamsul had collapsed during Combat Inoculation Training at the Army Land Training Centre (Pulada), Ulu Tiram.
Yusof said initial investigations found the cadet “suddenly became incoherent and lost control” around 2.30pm before being attended to by a medical officer from the Armed Forces Hospital.
He was rushed to Kota Tinggi Hospital but was pronounced dead at the emergency department.
The body was later sent to Sultan Ismail Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department for a post-mortem.
Official Findings and What’s Still Unknown
Police said the post-mortem found no injuries indicative of foul play, but the exact cause of death is pending laboratory results, which could take up to three months.
The case has been classified as a Sudden Death Report (SDR).
Yusof emphasised that a detailed and thorough investigation is ongoing, including interviews with witnesses and medical officers.
He also urged the public not to speculate while awaiting the results.
The Mother’s Allegations
Syamsul’s mother, Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun, disputed the suggestion that her son died from a seizure.
When she viewed his body, she claimed to have seen severe bruising, bleeding from the nose and eyes, wounds in the mouth and bruises on the neck, as well as injuries that looked like gunshot wounds.
“One person said he had a seizure during a shooting practice, while another told a family member he died in a fight,” she said.
She also alleged she was initially prevented from taking photographs and was only allowed to see part of his body; but managed to document the injuries herself.
Ummu has formally requested that her son’s grave be exhumed for a second post-mortem and has appointed lawyer Naran Singh to represent the family.
Legal Push for an Inquest
Naran has publicly urged Attorney General Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar to initiate an inquest.
“Why is the AG silent regarding the death of this student following his mother’s allegations? The AG is the guardian of public interest,” he said.
The lawyer also questioned why the Attorney General’s Chambers has not made any move despite serious allegations of foul play.
Government and Military Response
On Aug 2, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that a special inter-ministerial committee comprising the Defence Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry would investigate the case.
“At the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) level, we will set up a committee to investigate the cause and reason behind the victim’s death,” Khaled said.
Meanwhile, Army Chief General Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan expressed regret over the incident.
“We will review the training procedures to identify any weaknesses and areas that need improvement to prevent recurrence,” he said.
University and Ministerial Involvement
UTM Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim visited the family on Aug 2, offering condolences and contributions.
On Aug 11, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir met Ummu and assured her that there would be no attempt to protect anyone if wrongdoing was committed against Haris.
“The priority is to expedite the committee’s report. UTM had been instructed to give its full cooperation and that counselling support would be provided to the family,” he emphasised.
The Family’s Grief and Calls for Justice
Syamsul, a second-semester Cyber Security degree student at UTM Skudai, was the eldest of three siblings.
His father passed away in December 2024, leaving him as the family’s main hope.
In a TikTok post, Ummu shared the moment she sent her son to campus last year, captioned:
“Sent Syamsul to UTM Skudai to further his studies in Cyber Security. But brought him back as a body.”
She said she has now lost two loved ones in less than a year and is determined to find the truth, so that such cases will not happen to other people’s children.
What Happens Next
- Laboratory results from the first post-mortem are expected within three months.
- The special committee’s findings will determine whether further legal or disciplinary action is taken.
- The family continues to push for a second autopsy via exhumation.
- The Armed Forces have pledged to review Palapes training protocols.
For now, the case remains officially classified as sudden death, but the controversy and the family’s fight for answers show no sign of fading.
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