The mother who lost both husband and son to the nation: A debt that can never be repaid

SHAH ALAM – The nation is mourning the death of 22-year-old Trooper K. Indiran, who passed away on Feb 19 during a Royal Armoured Corps training exercise.

Indiran was undergoing a Class 1 Armour Crew Course at Kem Batu 10, Kuantan, when he was found unconscious on Feb 18.

He was rushed to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) but tragically succumbed to his condition the following day.

Following news of his death, Malaysians took to social media to pay tribute to a family that has now lost two generations to national service.

One commenter, Aliza Abd Shukor, stated that such stories of selfless service provide a vital counter-narrative to political divisions.

“These are the stories we want to hear, not political rhetoric that tries to divide Malaysia’s multi-racial society,” she wrote.

A father’s legacy

Indiran was the son of the late Major C. Kayamboo, a distinguished pilot with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

In 2016, Major Kayamboo was killed when his Beechcraft B200T aircraft crashed during a training flight near the Butterworth Air Base.

Indiran was only 12 years old when his father died. Despite the personal tragedy, he chose to follow in his father's footsteps by joining the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVATM) President Datuk Sharuddin Omar stated that Indiran transformed his grief into a source of strength.

“Indiran used the tragedy of his father’s passing as motivation to serve the country. Despite being so young when the loss occurred, he did not view it negatively; rather, it served as a catalyst to continue the struggle,” Sharuddin told Bernama.

The challenges of multi-racial recruitment

Sharuddin also highlighted the historical significance of non-Malay contributions to national security.

He revealed that during the First and Second Emergency periods, Malaysian Indians and Chinese played pivotal roles in defending the nation’s sovereignty.

In 2024, data indicated that non-Bumiputera participation in the Malaysian Armed Forces remained below 3 per cent, reflecting a long-term shift in the military's demographic makeup.

This trend was further evidenced during a recent recruitment drive that same year, where only 19 Indian and 5 Chinese recruits successfully completed their training out of a total of 1,436 young soldiers.

Experts suggested these figures are largely driven by economic factors, noting that Malaysia’s rapid expansion since 1989 has increasingly drawn non-Malay youths towards more financially rewarding careers in the private sector.

An unrepayable debt

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin described the family’s sacrifice as "unrepayable."

He confirmed that post-mortem results showed no signs of physical injury or bullying, urging the public not to tarnish the military's reputation with unverified speculation.

“The sacrifice of a family that has given not one, but two loved ones to the homeland is a sacrifice that can never be compared,” he said.

He extended his deepest condolences to Indiran’s mother, S. Usha, 52, who was recently seen at her home in Taman Sri Nibong, urging for her son to be allowed to rest in peace with honour