Actor Badul calls for inquest into son’s death
He says he is not happy with the chronology of events and wants more details.
SHAH ALAM: Veteran comedy actor AR Badul has requested that an inquest be held into the death of his son, Major Mohd Zahir Armaya at Kem Lok Kawi, Sabah, earlier this month.
He said the explanation given by the armed forces was not detailed enough.
Badul, whose real name is Armaya Aman Ramlie, 70, said his whole family was not satisfied with the chronology of events.
Zahir, 36, a commando from the 11th Special Forces Regiment, died after he was believed to have been accidentally shot during a demonstration to mark the launch of the Fifth Division and 13th Brigade of the Malaysian Infantry at Lok Kawi on Sept 4.
Badul said an inquest will be able to dig up more details on how the death occurred.
“How was he shot? Did the shot miss the target? Was my son not standing properly? Or was the shooter not consistent in the shooting? We want to know the chronology.”
Earlier today, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) confirmed that Zahir’s death had been classified as a training accident.
RMN, in a statement, informed that the decision was made by the RMN’s investigation board which found the incident to be an isolated case.
“The board members also found that the equipment and accessories used during the training were in good condition.
“RMN will take the appropriate disciplinary action against the individuals involved, while standard operating procedures (SOPs) will also be updated if required,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Zahir would be posthumously promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, as decided during the 578th Armed Forces Council which convened on Sept 17, subject to the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin.
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The welfare of Zahir’s family will also be taken care of based on the officer’s entitlement, it added.