PARENTS OF DEAD NAVAL CADET MAY SUE UNIVERSITY
He sounded unwell when he last spoke to me two days before his death, says father
HE had a black belt with second dan in taekwondo, but Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain could probably have done nothing when he was allegedly “hazed” at the National Defence University (UPNM).
This was because the 21-yearold naval cadet, who died from his injuries on Thursday, was likely outnumbered when he was set upon by fellow cadets and others, some of whom possibly held a higher number of dans.
Zulfarhan’s father, Zulkarnain Idrus, 53, said he believed this was what had happened to his son, but would let police investigate the incident.
He would go to UPNM to collect his son’s belongings soon.
However, he said, the family was contemplating taking legal action against the university.
“It is common to hear stories of seniors asking juniors to kiss their shoes, but using a hot iron is extreme,” he said at his home in Bandar Uda Utama here yesterday.
Zulfarhan was said to have been beaten and burned with a hot iron for days over a missing laptop.
While the cause of death has yet to be officially announced, the beating he allegedly received at the hands of his seniors and students of another university was said to have led to his death.
The victim died at Serdang Hospital on Thursday.
He was reported to have had burns on 80 per cent of his body and bruises all over.
Zulkarnain said his son, the eldest of four children comprising two boys and two girls, sounded unwell when the two last spoke, two days before the youth’s death.
“Zulfarhan did not tell me that he was beaten up... he said he was having a fever.
“He told my wife the same thing when she spoke to him later that night, after he had spoken to me,” said Zulkarnain.
The taxi driver claimed a friend of Zulfarhan had sent him screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation between one of the suspects in the case and a girl, in which the suspect bragged about the beatings.
“I believe it could be an act of revenge, but all this evidence I will forward to the police for investigation.
“When Zulfarhan came back home every two months, sometimes
he would tell us that life at the university was tough, but I told him he would have to bear with it since he was the one who wanted so much to go there.”
Zulkarnain said his school administrator wife, Hawa Osman, 54, had not wanted Zulfarhan to go to UPNM three years ago, but their son had been adamant.
“He had quarrelled with his mother, and refused to give up... his mother eventually gave in. Zulfarhan was a quiet boy... he kept things to himself, but he loved sports. He was also a very cheerful person.
“He could have been a teacher as he was offered a place in a teacher’s training college (but he insisted on becoming a naval cadet),” said Zulkarnain, adding that Zulfarhan had two more years before graduating.
Police have classified the case as murder, and 36 university students aged 20 and 21 have been picked up to facilitate investigations.
They have been remanded until June 8.
The doctor who treated Zulfarhan for the alleged beatings is also being investigated for not lodging a police report.
Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat said police would record a statement from the doctor and others in the private clinic in Bangi where Zulfarhan was initially brought for treatment, between May 27 and Wednesday.
“Apart from that, we will also track down and record a statement from the bomoh who had earlier claimed the victim was the one who had stolen the laptop (leading to the beatings).”