UiTM trainee’s mother demands justice, denies son had health issues amid alleged bullying claims

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — Azwati Muhammed Ghalip, 52, the mother of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) student Muhammad Amir Rusyaidi Muhammad Zaidi, who died on November 13, has refuted claims that her son had any underlying health problems.

She noted that Amir, 25, previously participated in UiTM’s Kesatria programme during his first semester, which also involved military-like training.

“If he had health problems, he wouldn’t have got in. If he passed (the health screenings), it means he was fit to undergo that kind of training,” she said, adding that her son had expressed a desire to undergo an x-ray test.

In a police report dated November 15, Amir’s father, Muhammad Zaidi Abdul Rahman, alleged that his son was forced to act like a horse while a Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) trainer hopped on his back. The trainer reportedly also instructed Amir to jump like a kangaroo while recording the incident and laughing, shortly before he collapsed.

Azwati said she only learned of this incident through Amir’s peers during funeral prayers, who informed the family of what had occurred.

Amir was allegedly carried to the trainer’s car, despite the car being able to drive closer to him. No ambulance was called after he collapsed, Azwati said.

The family was reportedly not informed of Amir’s condition until the hospital contacted them to provide breathing support for him.

In a revised police report on November 22, Muhammad Zaidi also alleged that the trainer called the family a day after the incident and claimed Amir was required to attend classes as the university had not yet been informed of his condition.

“On Saturday (a day before Amir collapsed), he was already stepped on by the same trainer,” Azwati claimed citing accounts from eyewitnesses.

The trainer later attended Amir’s funeral and visited the family’s home, where he reportedly said he advised Amir to drink water to prevent dehydration, Azwati said.

She added that she noticed a bruise on Amir’s knee, which she initially dismissed due to his involvement in physically demanding activities, only later linking it to the alleged bullying.

Azwati clarified that no post-mortem was conducted, contrary to earlier media reports, and the family has yet to receive the hospital’s medical report on Amir’s death.

“We want to know what happened to the victim,” said the family’s lawyer, Nurul Diyana Basher.

Azwati described Amir as a responsible and loving son who often cooked for the family, including preparing Western dishes for his siblings. She recalled his care during her Umrah trip last year with her husband, where Amir managed the household in their absence.

His final words to her, via text the night before he collapsed, were “thank you,” expressing gratitude for the money she had sent him.

Azwati urged for a review of the programme to ensure improvements.

In a statement yesterday, UiTM said it would fully cooperate with investigations into the death of the Palapes trainee, allegedly following an intense and unscheduled training session on November 10.

The university added that the matter is being handled by the police and an investigation board under the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).

ATM also issued a statement confirming it is investigating the matter.

Yesterday, Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan stated that preliminary investigations revealed Amir had been undergoing a fitness test ahead of basic training scheduled for next year.