Malay-Sikh hair cutting case: Minister says action to be taken against culprits

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 21 (ANI): Malaysia's Defence Minister, Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has said that his government will take stern action against culprits who cut off National Service (NS) trainee Basant Singh's hair while he was asleep at the Sungai Bakap camp in Penang.

Zahid urged police to solve the case quickly as the matter is sensitive and embarrassing. He said police would further determine whether the case is a criminal act.

"The initial report states that no malicious activity was committed by the camp's administration and its other trainees. But the police will carry out another investigation to determine whether this is a criminal act," he said.

Earlier, 17-year-old Basant Singh, a trainee, and his father Surinderpal Singh, had lodged a report over the alleged incident with the camp commandant Mej Shamsudin Abdul Aziz last Sunday, and also lodged a police report.

On Wednesday, NS Department Director General Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil had claimed that no trainee or trainer was involved in the case.

Zahid, however, said any act against a "religion or culture" would not be tolerated.

The boy's family said in Ipoh that they would wait for the police to conclude their findings before deciding their next course of action. (ANI)