Military academies are known for their intense training and discipline, but recent events in Malaysia reveal a darker side that’s been hard to shake.
In 2017, cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain tragically lost his life after being brutally bullied at the National Defense University of Malaysia (UPNM).
The nation mourned, and his case sparked calls for tougher action against hazing and bullying.
Another UPNM cadet allegedly burnt with steam iron
But just this week, an unsettlingly similar incident has emerged, raising questions about whether anything has really changed.
A second-year cadet at UPNM’s Military Training Academy (ALK) was recently found with burn marks on his chest in the shape of a steam iron—an eerie echo of what happened to Zulfarhan.
On October 30, the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) posted a statement confirming the incident, promising a thorough investigation and ensuring that no one involved would be shielded from consequences if found guilty.
An inside source told The Merdeka Times that the cadet’s injuries came to light accidentally during an unarmed combat exercise.
An attentive duty officer noticed the burns and quickly reported it, triggering an investigation.
Zulfarhan’s father, Zulkarnain Idros, responded to the news with mixed emotions. While he praised the officer’s alertness, he couldn’t hide his frustration.
“I commend the officer’s actions as a step to detect issues early. Otherwise, we would not have known about it, and bullying could have continued much longer,” he shared with New Straits Times.
Zulfarhan’s story, sadly, remains all too familiar. In 2017, he was tortured with a hot steam iron by six fellow cadets who accused him of stealing a laptop.
Despite his denials, the abuse escalated, ultimately resulting in his death. This year, his abusers were sentenced to death by the Court of Appeal—a ruling seen as a strong stance against bullying in military institutions.
