Motivational speaker claims to have been threatened, abused by Armed Forces counselling officer

KUALA LUMPUR: A motivational speaker who is also a retired Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officer claimed to have been threatened and abused by an Armed Forces officer during a motivational talk programme at Dewan Tun Templer, Sungai Besi Camp, here last on Friday (Nov 8).

Major (R) Mohamad Qayyum Badaruddin, 56, claimed that he was hurled with abusive words and abused by an officer who is also a counsellor, believed to be from the MAF Headquarters Counselling Unit when he was about to give a lecture to cadet officers of the Military Training Academy (ALK), National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM).

“My session should have started at 4pm but the officer’s session dragged on until 4.20pm. So, I asked when the session would end because I needed to rush for another appointment.

“The officer replied, ‘You’re a busybody. I’ll punch you. If you’re not satisfied, let’s settle this outside,’ even though the answer has nothing to do with my question. He acted harshly by holding my neck and dragging me to the side while witnessed by about 200 cadet officers and other MAF officers,” he said when met at the Cheras Police Headquarters on Tuesday (Nov 12).

Commenting further, Mohamad Qayyum said the officer had also threatened to punch him, claiming that he need not be respected since he was no longer a military officer who is in service.

“Even though I am no longer a military officer in service, I am a speaker who has been invited. He should not have treated me like that. I want him to apologise because I represent tens of thousands of veterans.

“We don’t have to be treated like this because we have also done our part, and to this day, I still contribute to raising the image of the military by giving lectures and writing books related to our forces,” he said.

Mohammad Qayyum said since the incident, he has not been contacted or received any form of apology from the officer concerned or any other MAF officer.

Meanwhile, Cheras police chief ACP Aidil Bolhassan, when contacted by BK confirmed receiving a report about the incident on Tuesday and added that investigations were being carried out. – BK