PETALING JAYA: The final photograph of Siti Khadijah Sungip shared with her family came just hours before the 24-year-old soldier was killed in a grenade-training accident at Kem Hobart in Gurun, Kedah.
According to Sinar Harian, the photograph was shared in the family's WhatsApp group late on Monday night while Siti Khadijah was undergoing an eight-day training programme involving live-fire and grenade-throwing exercises.
Her sister, Siti Zaiha, 39, said Siti Khadijah remained active in the family chat throughout the training.
"As usual, she kept in touch with us in the family group. She shared photographs while undergoing training the night before the incident," she said when met at the family's home in Taman Sri Lambak, Kluang, on Wednesday (June 17).
Siti Zaiha said her younger sister had also sent a message on the morning of the accident to inform the family that she was in the final group scheduled to undergo grenade-throwing training.
"She told us where the training was being held and we could only remind her to be careful, listen to the instructors and stay focused.
"It never crossed our minds that it would be our last conversation with her," she said.
Siti Khadijah joined the Malaysian Army last year after completing a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN).
Her father, Sungip Jais, 65, a retired soldier, had encouraged her to consider a military career.
"Our father was a former soldier. He told her that if she had the opportunity to join the military, she should give it a try.
"She applied and was eventually accepted into the Army," Siti Zaiha said.
She described Siti Khadijah as a dedicated recruit who was recognised as the Best Female Academic Recruit in the 50th intake before being absorbed into the Royal Engineers Regiment.
According to Siti Zaiha, the family first learnt of the tragedy after their father received a call from a military officer informing him that an accident had occurred during training.
"At first the information was unclear. I later contacted the officer myself and was informed that my sister had died at about noon during grenade-throwing training," she said.
Two soldiers were killed in an explosion during a training exercise at the Kem Hobart firing range on Tuesday.
Kuala Muda OCPD Asst Comm Hanyan Ramlan said police received information about the incident at about 12.30pm and investigations are ongoing.
