Abdul Hadi: NS trainee not entitled to compensation

In mourning: Krishnamary grieving beside her daughter’s coffin at their home in Taman Desa Cempaka.

(The Star) - The family of 19-year-old A. Tamilarasi, who died after falling ill during National Service training, is not entitled to compensation.

National Service director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said the group insurance only covered trainees who died while undergoing training.

“The group insurance scheme does not cover trainees like Tamilarasi’s case. We have, however, given the family some form of financial aid while Tamilarasi was being hospitalised,” he said.

Abdul Hadi said the insurance policy also stated that compensation would only be paid if the trainee’s death occurred within seven days of an incident.

“Tamilarasi died more than a year after she was hospitalised and due to this, there will be no cover from the insurance company,” he added.

Tamilarasi’s parents had appealed for compensation after their only daughter died without regaining consciousness when she was hospitalised from a viral infection for over a year.

On Monday, Tamilarasi’ mother A. Krishnamary, 41, was reported to have said that there had been no word from the authorities on this matter since her daughter’s death on April 25. Although Tamilarasi, a former student of SM Taman Desa Cempaka in Nilai, had reported to the PDS Resort NS camp in Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson, on Jan 2, 2011, she fell ill sometime later.

Krishnamary said the family should be entitled to compensation as her daughter fell ill while undergoing training. “Doctors told us that my daughter slipped into a coma due to a viral infection, which affected her brain.”