TASEK PAUH blogspot

RM10 mil suit filed against NS camp and Govt over death of trainee

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 13 - The family of National Service trainee Mohd Rafi Ameer, who had died on Sept 1, has filed a RM10 mil suit against the Cheneh Cemerlang camp commandant and the Government,claiming he had died as a result of consuming food tainted with animal faeces,

His elder sister Jubaidah, 25, said the Kemaman hospital informed her on Aug 31night, just hours before Mohd Rafi died, that he had most probably eaten the contaminated food.

The former clerk is suing the commandant Lt Kdr Mohd Najib Lotpy Mat Nor and the government for negligence, resulting in the death of Mohd Rafi, who is the fourth of six siblings.

According to the statement of claim filed at the High Court registry here Thursday, Mohd Rafi had reported to the Cheneh Cemerlang camp in Kemaman on June 17 but had called home on Aug 24 complaining of fever and not being sent to any medical centre for treatment.

"After a week (Aug 31), he called home again. By then the deceased had complained of fever and swelling in the legs due to a fall during training. He said he had not been sent for treatment and was only given painkillers by the staff in the camp,'' Jubaidah said in the statement of claim.

She added that she then contacted an officer in the camp to find out the exact situation but was scolded. The officer, she said, told her that her brother was well and the camp management would do the necessary if the situation demanded it.

"After that, my brother again called home stating that his condition had deteriorated. His vision had become more blurred by then and everything he saw seemed yellowish.

"He was still not taken for treatment anywhere,'' she said.

Jubaidah said she called up the camp officer again and queried why her brother had been denied medical attention. She said that the officer still maintained that Mohd Rafi was well and did not need any treatment and forbade her from taking the deceased for treatment.

"He called me again after that saying that he was vomiting and in great pain. He pleaded for me to go to him as soon as possible. It was only at 10pm that night (Aug 31) that he was sent to the Kemaman hospital,'' she said.

Jubaidah said her brother managed to contact her at the hospital stating that he was already vomiting blood and had breathing difficulties. The hospital then informed the family that Mohd Rafi's condition was critical and his condition was most probably caused by consumption of animal faeces.

The hospital decided to transfer Mohd Rafi to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan at 9pm on Sept 1, but he died on the way there.

Jubaidah claims that the defendants were negligent, among others, in not providing a clean and safe environment in the camp.

At the courthouse yesterday, Jubaidah said her brother was reluctant to attend the NS training but was forced to do so.

She hopes that the suit will serve as a lesson to the authorities when handling similar cases in future.

Apart from the RM10mil, Jubaidah is also seeking an additional special damages of RM18,040 in the suit filed through M.K. Othman & Co. theStarOnline