KUALA LUMPUR: New witnesses may be called to testify on the fatal grenade blast during a training session at Kem Hobart, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).
He said the ministry had received a report from the Army on the matter on July 13.
However, after a review, it was determined that several witnesses may need to be recalled, and statements could be obtained from new witnesses to strengthen the investigation findings.
He said the ministry is expecting a more comprehensive report by 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 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He said safety measures for military training will be improved based on the recommendations of the Board of Inquiry, which is also investigating the incident.
These include enhancing training monitoring through the installation of CCTV at firing range areas and the use of body cameras for monitoring purposes and after-action reviews as well as improving visibility and observation mirrors at the control tower.
“Eco-Friendly Training Hand Grenades have also been proposed for dry training personnel before handling live grenades.
Under the casting policy, ammunition and explosives that have reached their prescribed lifespan will undergo detailed and periodic special inspections to verify their usability.
“Every unit is also required to conduct physical health and mental assessments for all officers and personnel before they participate in training, particularly those with medical records that require monitoring,” he added.
On June 16, two Army personnel were killed in a grenade explosion during a live-fire training exercise at a firing range.
A second incident occurred on June 29, when two more soldiers sustained knee injuries. They were struck by fragments believed to have ricocheted following a technical malfunction involving a machine gun during a training exercise.
