KUALA LUMPUR: Police are finalising their investigation papers into the death of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) cadet Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, which will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (A-GC) soon.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police findings had uncovered discrepancies between the latest developments and the initial medical report which previously formed the basis of the declared cause of death.
He said this update was conveyed to him during a briefing by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director and Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail.
“Police will complete their investigation papers soon, along with recommendations to the A-GC on the way forward.
“If asked whether there are differences with the initial findings (from the first post-mortem), the answer is yes,” he told a press conference at the 2025 Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Symposium 2025.
Saifuddin said the latest police findings showed significant differences from the early medical conclusions.
“There is a discrepancy between the initial medical report which determined the cause of death, and the latest police findings.
“Police will conclude their work and refer the complete investigation papers to the A-GC for further action,” he said.
Earlier today, Federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said that Syamsul’s death has been classified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
He said the investigation is ongoing to identify those responsible for the cadet’s death.
“Following a review of the case and the court-approved exhumation and second autopsy, the Attorney-General’s Chambers has directed that this case be classified as a homicide under Section 302 of the Penal Code,” he said in a statement.
He said the investigation began on July 28 at the Kota Tinggi police headquarters following Syamsul Haris’s sudden death.
On Nov 28, the family’s lawyer Datuk Naran Singh Ara Singh said that a second post-mortem conducted by Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) found that Syamsul Haris had died due to neck injuries, alongside several abrasions.
Naran had reportedly said the post-mortem results indicated injuries that led to the victim’s death, and that investigations must be carried out to identify the perpetrator.
Earlier, on Aug 26, the High Court ordered the exhumation of the trainee’s body to enable a second post-mortem to be conducted within 14 days after the remains were recovered.
Syamsul Haris, 22, died at Kota Tinggi Hospital on July 28, after undergoing training at the Army Combat Training Centre (Pulada) in Ulu Tiram.
He was buried the following day at the Kampung Rinching Ulu Muslim Cemetery in Semenyih, Selangor.
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