Commando shot dead, minister says don't speculate

 

Major Mohd Zahir Armaya from the 11th Special Forces Regiment

Malaysiakini : Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu is calling on the public not to speculate about the death of an army commando who was shot during a demonstration, pending an autopsy report.

Special Forces in Training

Major Mohd Zahir Armaya from the 11th Gerak Khas Regiment had died during a launching gimmick at the Lok Kawi camp in Kota Kinabalu when he was shot dead this morning.

The son of actor A R Badul was portraying a masked criminal who was to be shot by an army officer at about 8.30am, according to Harian Metro. After the shot was fired, Zahir collapsed to the ground and the performance was called off. He died an hour later at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The army in a statement said practice demonstrations had been carried out last week, but a "situation happened" today, which caused the death. Mohamad (photo) and Army chief General Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi expressed their condolences to Zahir's family. "I hope his family remains steadfast in facing their grief, and we at the Defence Ministry are very sympathetic and sad," the minister added.

Zahir leaves behind three children, two of whom were from a previous marriage.