KUALA LUMPUR: New witnesses may be called in the Army's probe of the recent fatal grenade blast at Kem Hobart, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).
He said the ministry received a report from the Army on the matter on Monday (July 13).
However, after a review, it was determined that several witnesses may need to be recalled, and statements could be sought from new witnesses to strengthen the investigation findings.
He also told the Dewan Rakyat that the ministry is expecting a more comprehensive report from the Army on July 23.
"Therefore, it would be premature to determine the actual cause of the incident before the investigation has been fully completed," he said during Minister Question Time on Thursday (July 16).
Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) had asked about the cause of the recent grenade explosion during an Armed Forces training exercise, and the ministry's immediate measures to strengthen training safety SOPs to avoid similar incidents.
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Khaled said military training safety measures will be improved based on the recommendations of a board of inquiry which also investigated the incident.
These include enhancing monitoring of training by installing CCTVs at firing ranges, using body-worn cameras for after-action reviews, and improving visibility and observation mirrors at control towers.
Eco-friendly training hand grenades have also been proposed for dry training before personnel are allowed to handle live grenades, Khaled added.
Ammunition and explosives which have reached their prescribed lifespan will undergo detailed periodic inspections to verify their usability, he said.
Furthermore, all officers and personnel must undergo physical and mental health assessments before taking part in training, especially those with medical issues that require monitoring.
On June 16, two Army personnel were killed in a grenade explosion during a live-fire training exercise at a firing range in Kem Hobart in Gurun, Kedah.
A second incident occurred at the same location on June 29, with two soldiers sustaining knee injuries from shrapnel after a machine gun malfunctioned during a training exercise.
