IPOH, Jan 29 — A witness told the inquest on navy cadet officer J. Soosaimanicckam’s death that she was not aware of the illness report he submitted before his death.
KD Sultan Idris 1 (KDSI 1) course planning officer Lt. Nur Suhana Kasim Bakri, 32, said that she was not informed by the trainer the night before that the deceased was sick when she took over the duty on May 19, 2018, at 8.20am.
Nur Sahana said this when replying to the lawyer acting for the deceased family, Zaid Malek, about the form previously confirmed by a doctor at the Lumut Armed Forces Hospital.
“The trainer before me did not inform anything regarding the form, and neither did the cadet officer.
“To my knowledge, no one else besides another navy cadet was admitted at the hospital after he had reported sick for skin allergies,” she said in her testimony before Sessions Court judge Azman Abu Hassan, who was presiding in the Coroner’s Court hearing.
The Coroner’s Court is examining the cause of the cadet’s death during training at the naval base on May 19, 2018. Soosaimanicckam was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1.45pm the same day.
It was reported that the deceased had previously complained of chest pains and shortness of breath after completing a physical exercise that was part of his daily routine before his death.
It had also been reported that initial police investigations ruled out foul play as a post-mortem found he died of pulmonary oedema, a condition where there is fluid in the lungs.
Lawyer Mahajoth Singh, who is also representing the family, asked Nur Sahana to explain the procedure for filling up the report.
She said the form is given to cadets reporting illness to the trainer on duty.
“Usually, the cadets need to queue up for a briefing session at 10.30pm. During that period, the trainer on duty will check if any of the cadets are sick.
“If they are found sick, they need to fill up the sick report form and transportation will be arranged for them to go to the hospital,” she said.
Mahajoth also asked Nur Suhana why her name was not in the KDSI 1’s daily orders book as the trainer in-charge on May 19.
Instead, the name of another officer, LCdr. Fariz Hedry Ling Firdaus Hedry Ling was listed.
She said she was not sure.
Mahajoth Singh then asked if she could provide any other document to show she was the trainer in-charge on May 19.
Nur Suhana said her name was in the daily logbook, before saying she did not have it and was not sure if it was still maintained.
Azman then ordered Nur Suhana to locate the logbook and produce it before the inquest.
“Try to find the book, and if possible any other documents related to show you were the trainer in charge that day. The inquiry is meant to find the truth, and is not a trial,” he said.
The inquest will continue tomorrow.
