THE Coroner’s Court conducting the inquest into the death of a navy cadet officer J. Soosainmanicckam in May last year was today told that he had defecated while showering at the quarters.

KD Sultan Idris 1 course planning officer Lieutenant Nur Suhana Kasim Bakri, 32, said at about 12.30pm, on May 19, she was informed by another officer that Soosaimanicckam had defecated while having a shower at the quarters, and that she had arranged for transport to take him to the Armed Forces Hospital in Lumut.

“When Soosaimanicckam came out of his room on the ground floor he looked weak and was unable to walk on his own and had to be assisted,” she said, adding that there were dried wounds on his forehead and elbows.

She said upon arriving at the hospital, she waited outside the emergency room, and about an hour later she was informed by Dr Harvind Singh that Soosaimanicckam had died.

Earlier, when asked by DPP Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar about Soosaimanicckam’s condition on the day he died, Nur Sahana said Soosaimanicckam and other cadet officers attended daily physical training from 7.30am to 10.30am.

Nur Suhana, who is also a trainer, said after completing the 600m slow jog, Soosaimanicckam informed an officer that he had no energy to continue with the training.

“He exercised on his own and was monitored but he looked tired,” she said when testifying on the third day of the inquest proceedings before Coroner Azman Abu Hassan.

Nur Suhana said after the training session, all cadet officers including Soosaimanicckam had their body mass index measured and his was 30, above the maximum level of 26.9.

Meanwhile, Azman asked the prosecution to call the Malaysian Armed Forces’ manpower branch to find out about the health screening procedure during the selection process as he found it strange that Soosaimanicckam should die within a week of training despite a full medical check-up prior to recruitment. – Bernama, November 28, 2019.