Hisham: Ministry awaiting report on soldier shooting

TANGKAK: The Defense Ministry is waiting for a detailed report on the shooting incident that left a soldier dead and another injured in Cenderakasih, near Lahad Datu, Kota Kinabalu.

Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said that the ministry is investigating the matter with the help of police.

"I received a report on the incident on Thursday night and we are still investigating the matter," he told reporters after opening the Ledang Umno division meeting at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here on Friday.

Hishammuddin, who is also party's vice president, said that the cause of the incident was still unclear.

"As I have said earlier,  it does not matter if they (the culprits) were officers or not, they are not exempted from the laws.

"If investigations revealed that they have done wrong, then actions will be taken," he added.

It was reported that a soldier was killed and another injured after a colleague randomly fired eight rounds from his M4 carbine rifle at a mortar outpost in Felda's Sabahat 22 in Cenderakasih, about 100km from Lahad Datu.

Eastern Sabah Security Commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said that the incident was not an attack on the outpost and an investigation was underway to determine why the soldier started shooting at the outpost.

"I do not want to speculate why he started shooting. We are leaving it to the police to investigate,'' Rashid said, declining to give further details.

It was learnt that a 23-year-old soldier was arrested after his unit leader and two others snuck up on him before disarming and capturing him early Thursday.

The deceased, Kpl Raju Karno Rano Karno, 31, succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the Lahad Datu hospital at 2.45am, while the injured victim, Sarawakian Kpl Julian Anak Janang, was shot in his leg.

Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Awang Shaari had reportedly said they were still ascertaining the exact chain of events that led to the shooting including the possibility of an argument between the suspect and the victims.