"He Was Bullied Every Day" - Family Grieves Soldier Who Allegedly Died By Suicide At Camp
Aziz reportedly sustained wounds to the face caused by a metal wire brush and claimed that he was beaten at the base every day.
By Arisha Rozaidee — 08 Sep 2020, 07:07 PM
Army soldier Abdul Aziz Aznam was pronounced dead at the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital (HSNI) on Sunday, 6 September.
A week before that, he reportedly fell off his hostel building in Batu Pahat.
An unnamed source told New Straits Times that 20-year-old Abdul Aziz had run away from camp for about six months before returning on 28 August.
The next day, he was reportedly in critical condition.
The source told the daily, "The officer said Abdul Aziz was suffering from severe head and chest injuries. He was in critical condition and warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)," they added.
Prior to his death, the source claimed that Abdul Aziz endured abuse and assault every day while at camp.
He came home with wounds on his face and bruises all over his body.
According to Berita Harian, the wounds were caused by a metal wire brush and the bruises were from taking constant beatings and punches to the body.
Meanwhile, the victim's brother Mohamad Amirulnaim Aznam told Sinar Harian, "I noticed it since December last year. He kept saying that he couldn't handle staying there. He was bullied every day, but we thought it was a normal thing until my late brother decided to come home and stay here for over six months."
"The whole time he was home, he seemed genuinely happy, and even helped my mother and other siblings with housework. So when he brought up the fact that he wanted to pull out from the army, we couldn't help but agree with the decision," he added.
Abdul Aziz's brother also explained that he returned to camp on 28 August with hopes to sort out his resignation
"My mother and I sent him to the camp gates. Not even 24 hours after that, I received a call around 3am saying that my brother fell from the building," he said, as reported by Sinar Harian.
He added, "My mother and I made our way to the hospital and during that moment, my brother's condition was so devastating. He was unconscious."
Mohamad Amirulnaim also noted that his brother joined the army in 2018 and had always wanted to become a soldier, following the footsteps of their late father who died two years ago.
"We have come to terms with the situation but we're a bit regretful because we sent him off in good health but this happened instead," he said.
The family has filed a police report to identify the cause of death
According to New Straits Times, Batu Pahat deputy district police chief SUPT Muhammad Izzudin Rungai said the family's claims about the victim suffering from physical harm and bullying will be looked into.
Meanwhile, Defence Force Chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang told Utusan that the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is carrying out a thorough investigation before they can release any statements regarding the death.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
If you or anyone you know may be at risk of suicide, please call these Malaysian hotlines:
1. BEFRIENDERS KL
24-hour
Contact: +603-76272929
Skype: BefKL Skype 1
Email: [email protected]
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2. TALIAN KASIH
24-hour
Contact: 15999
WhatsApp: +6019-2615999
Email: [email protected]
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For a more thorough directory of resources, head over to the Malaysian Mental Health Association's website.
