Their lawyer, Naran Singh, said official letters had been sent to the Kota Tinggi Hospital director and a forensic specialist at Sultan Ismail Hospital seeking clarification, Sinar Harian reported.

He said Syamsul’s mother, Ummu Haiman Bee Daulatgun, had objected to a medical officer conducting the procedure when her son’s body was first brought to Kota Tinggi Hospital on July 29, Sinar Harian reported.

“However, after the body was transferred to Sultan Ismail Hospital, some 30km away, the same medical officer still conducted the post-mortem,” he was quoted as saying after a High Court hearing in Shah Alam today.

“If the hospital director and the forensic expert do not provide answers, then the health minister must explain this matter.”

Syamsul, 22, the eldest of three siblings, died on July 28 under unclear circumstances while undergoing Reserve Officer Training Unit training at the Army Combat Training Centre in Ulu Tiram, Johor.

He began training on July 26 and was expected to finish on Aug 3.

On Aug 26, the High Court ordered Syamsul’s body to be exhumed for a second post-mortem.

Naran said the report from the second autopsy had yet to be completed and is expected to take up to three months.

At today’s proceedings, the family withdrew an application to bar defence minister Khaled Nordin and the defence ministry from commenting on the case, after receiving a written undertaking from both that they would remain silent until investigations conclude.

Justice Adlin Abdul Majid recorded the withdrawal after noting the written undertaking dated Sept 24.

The court had, on Sept 18, granted a temporary gag order against both respondents.