KUALA LUMPUR: Police have opened investigations into the bullying case involving a second-year cadet at the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM).
The probe was initiated after the 20-year-old victim lodged a police report at around 8.23pm on Nov 1.
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said they have opened an investigation paper under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons.
"Based on the report lodged, the incident allegedly occurred at around 11.45pm on Oct 22 at the UPNM dormitory.
"A senior who is a year four cadet had asked the victim to iron his clothes and suddenly grabbed the iron from the complainant and pressed it on the right side of his chest once," he said when contacted on Saturday.
He said the incident caused the complainant to react in shock and scream in pain.
"He suffered burns from the incident.
"Our investigations revealed that several other seniors were also in the room at the time of the incident," Razarudin said.
Police have taken a statement from the complainant at the Cheras police headquarters.
"The complainant was told to seek medical treatment at a hospital to verify the injuries he suffered," he said.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir had said yesterday that bullying case was under the purview of the Defence Ministry.
While explaining about the jurisdictions involved, Zambry had said there are two institutions responsible for the students there.
UPNM is responsible for these students between 8am until 5pm; and then until the next morning, the Military Training Academy (ALK) is responsible for them.
On Wednesday, the armed forces confirmed it had launched an investigation into the case.
The cadet was allegedly bullied and abused by a senior officer using a heated iron, which reportedly left burn marks on his chest.
This is the second case involving the same method of abuse at UPNM in seven years.
In 2017, the country was shocked by the tragic death of UPNM cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who died from being bullied, beaten, and tortured, with most of his body repeatedly pressed with a steam iron.
Six former UPNM students were sentenced to death by hanging by the Court of Appeal for Zulfarhan's murder.