No arrest, no response: 4 months on, family seeks answers over elite commando left vegetative after camp assault

Family members and lawyers for Trooper Abdul Hamid Taib, a 25-year-old member of the elite Special Service Group (GGK) who is now in a permanent vegetative state after suffering injuries at an army camp, have slammed the authorities for their “deafening silence” over his condition as well as the status of the investigation into the incident.

Lawyer Latheefa Koya said the latest medical report obtained by the family showed Hamid had suffered extensive injuries to several parts of his brain, including the left cerebral hemisphere, which controls movement, speech and other essential functions.

She said the defence ministry and police had not responded to repeated queries on the status of the investigation.

To make matters worse for the family, the hospital to which he was transferred, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM), has not responded to the family’s anxieties over his long-term care ahead of his discharge.

“He is now suffering from quadriplegia involving all four limbs. He is effectively in a vegetative state with no meaningful response,” Latheefa said at a press conference convened by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).

It is the second such press conference in three months by LFL to demand authorities to explain why Hamid’s family had been kept in the dark for almost two months after he was taken to the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital following injuries he suffered at Kem Iskandar in Mersing, Johor, on March 11.

Family members later revealed that they were falsely informed that Hamid was found unconscious after a fall in the bathroom. It was also revealed that physical or corporal punishment had been inflicted on him.

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin previously said the matter was being investigated by police, who had identified two suspects, adding that the army had also completed its own internal investigation.

Hamid, who is a Sabahan, suffered severe injuries including head trauma, and part of his skull had to be removed and replaced with titanium plate.

Latheefa said that up to now, no one from either the army or the police, nor from the defence, home or health ministries, has stepped up to provide answers on what happened, or who will be held responsible for bearing the costs of Hamid’s long-term care.

“Can injuries this severe, affecting multiple parts of the brain, really be caused by falling in a bathroom?” she asked.

Latheefa said the family believes Hamid was the victim of a violent assault and attempted murder.

“The latest police report was lodged on April 30. We are now approaching the end of July. There has been no response, no arrests and no indication of any investigation. Is this how a soldier who served the country is treated?” she said, adding that the case should be investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.

She said the family is still in the dark about who will bear the substantial costs of caring for Hamid, who remains completely dependent on others for every aspect of his daily needs, including feeding through a tube.

She said two letters were sent this month by PPUM to the Member Services Division (BPA) at the defence ministry, which is in charge of soldiers’ welfare, listing the specialised equipment Hamid would require upon discharge, including a hospital bed, pressure-relief mattress, specialised wheelchair, portable suction machine, nutritional supplies, commode chair, blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter.

“Those letters received no response. Who is going to pay for all this? Who is going to care for him around the clock?” she asked.

Hamid’s family said they have been forced to rent a house suitable for his care despite having limited financial means.

Latheefa also questioned PPUM’s failure to respond to letters sent by the family’s legal team seeking clarification on Hamid’s medical status and discharge arrangements.

"Is this a government hospital? Absolutely no reply, no answer but pressuring to discharge without considering what the family actually needs."

She said the defence ministry must come clean on what really happened at the military camp, as well as those responsible "for this inhumane attack on Trooper Hamid."

“We also want the health ministry to explain why PPUM is discharging him without ensuring proper arrangements for his continued care, and why the hospital has failed to respond to the family’s inquiries.”

She said the silence of the authorities stands in stark contrast to their response to petty offences.

“Someone who purportedly stole 1 kg of fuel subsidy was arrested and had his photo splashed in the news as if it were a very serious crime,” she added.

“The family has already suffered enough. The government cannot continue to remain silent while abandoning a soldier who served the nation.”