Penampang police chief Mohd Haris Ibrahim said police are investigating an army personnel under Section 304A of the Penal Code.

He said that in the incident which happened at about 8.25am, Zahir, 36, the commander of the 11th Special Forces Regiment, was shot by a colleague from about 5m.

He said no arrest had been made and police had confiscated a weapon.

Zahir, who was playing the role of a terrorist in the exercise, was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

He was the third of seven children of AR Badul, whose real name is Armaya Aman Ramlie.

In Gerik, Inspector-General of Police  Abdul Hamid Badorare said police are conducting a thorough investigation into the death.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, he said the probe was being carried out to identify the actual cause of the incident.

“The demonstration was well organised but the accident still occurred,” he told reporters after a ceremony on the conferment of the National Warrior’s Day Award at Perak Contingent here today.

He requested the public not to post any offensive comments that could violate the law.