Defence minister: Disciplinary action against individuals involved in Malaysian commando’s death
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Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the Army’s investigation board will take disciplinary action against individuals involved in the incident resulted in the death of Major Mohd Zahir Armaya on September 4. — Picture by Miera Zulyana |
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — The Army’s investigation board will take disciplinary action against individuals involved in the incident resulted in the death of a commando from the 11th Special Forces Regiment, Major Mohd Zahir Armaya on September 4.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the ministry would also update the standard operating procedure (SOP) (training-related) if required.
“In light of the family’s request for an inquest to find the cause of death, the Defence Ministry will take this request to the higher level for consideration.
“The Defence Ministry also supported the late Mohd Zahir’s posthumous promotion 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 Al-Mustafa Billah Shah,” he said in a statement today.
Mohamad added that he was informed by the army’s investigation board that the incident was an isolated case and classified as training accident.
If it was an isolated training accident, then why should there be the need to amend the SOP or worse, to punish 'someone' for the poor man's death?
I strongly believe the real issue lies in the UNNECESSARY use of 'live' ammunition in what was just a training exercise - it doesn't matter whether the unit involved was the Special Forces or ordinary forces. One does NOT use 'live' ammunition in training exercises. Thus it's a policy defect, which can only come from 'above'.
The only exception to using 'live ammo' is the 'baptism of live firing' which has guns (in fixed positions) firing over troops crawling under barbed wires. As long as the crawling troops don't stand up (assuming they even could against the overhead barbed wire, they will be safe.
But as usual, scapegoats would be required to appease the widow and public.
In most inquiries or investigations drawing public scrutiny,especially cases involving politics or deaths,of course there will be scrape goats or sacrificial lambs.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.rt.com/russia/465381-russia-spetsnaz-live-fire-training/
ReplyDeleteRussian Spetsnaz Special Forces using live ammunition in training.
could be mere propaganda by a Russian newspaper
DeleteSome reports had said that the death was from live ammo fired during a DEMONSTRATION, not training.
ReplyDeleteThere is a big difference.
“Training” means only military personnel are involved, in a controlled environment. “Demonstration” implies non-military people (outsiders) are present, such as civilians or smiling politicians (ha ha ha) in a semi-controlled environment. Things can go wrong here.
In any case, training or demonstration, live bullets should NEVER be fired directly at the bullet proof vest. This is just plain STUPID.
Bullet-proof vests may have manufacturing defects and once struck by a bullet no longer offers 100% protection. Was the Major wearing a used vest?