BANTING – The post-mortem involving a body believed to be of a commando found in the Tanjung Sepat mangrove swamp area near here yesterday will be carried out at the Banting Hospital at 9am today.
Kuala Langat district police chief Ahmad Ridhwan Mohd Nor @ Salleh said the body was identified by the deceased’s brother.
Ridhwan said the body clad in a diving suit was found in a mangrove swamp at Batu 8, Kg Batu Laut, Tanjung Sepat by members of the public at about 10.30am yesterday.
“The body of the deceased will be autopsied tomorrow at the Banting Hospital to find out the cause of death,” he said in a statement yesterday.
On February 7, Lance Corporal Edrin Baintim, 25, who is a member of the army’s special forces unit, was reported missing while undergoing diving training 0.7 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Undan.
The victim was said to have disappeared during the “Pari Harimau” diving exercise he was participating in, which comprised six officers and 37 participants from the Sg Udang Special Warfare Training Centre.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Edrin’s brother, Fikri Abdullah, 41, said although saddened by the loss of his youngest brother, he was relieved and thankful that the body had been recovered.
When asked about the reaction of their parents who lived in Kg Maliau, Tongod, Sabah, Fikri said it was difficult to describe.
“Mother and father still haven’t accepted the fact that their beloved youngest child is gone. Prior to this, he (Edrin) had told us that he wanted to go back home, but he could find the time to do so as he was very busy with his duties,” he said.
The private sector worker said they managed to meet Edrin during the recent Chinese New Year holiday.
“At the time, he (Edrin) had two days off, so we gathered at our sister’s house in Klang, but he didn’t seem different at the time, just cheerful as usual,” said Fikri, who lives in the peninsula with five other siblings. – Bernama, February 20, 2023
