Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu has urged the public not to speculate over the death of an army commando, who succumbed to a gunshot, this morning.
He urged all quarters to wait for the post-mortem report.
Major Mohd Zahir Armaya from the 11th Gerak Khas Regiment had died during a mock counter-terrorism demonstration during the launching of Lok Kawi camp in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
According to Harian Metro, the deceased, who is the son of actor AR Badul, portrayed a masked terrorist who was to be shot by an army officer.
After the shot was fired, Zahir, who was hit in the back, collapsed and the performance was called off. He died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital about an hour after the 8.30am incident.
In a statement later, the army said a rehearsal for the demonstration was carried out last week.
However, it said a "situation happened" this morning, which caused Zahir's death.
Both the defence minister and Army chief General Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi expressed their condolences to the deceased's family.
"I hope his family remains steadfast in facing their grief, and we at the Defence Ministry are sympathetic and sad," said the minister.
Zahir leaves behind three children, two of whom were from a previous marriage.
RELATED REPORTS
Shot which killed commando missed bulletproof plate, says circular
