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Chief of the Defence Forces (Malaysia)
Head of Malaysian Armed Forces From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Chief of the Defence Forces (Abbr.: CDF, Malay: Panglima Angkatan Tentera, Jawi: ڤڠليما اڠکتن تنترا) is the professional head of the Malaysian Armed Forces and serves as the highest-ranking military officer in the country, second only to the King of Malaysia (Malay: Yang di-Pertuan Agong), who is constitutionally designated as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.[1]
The Chief of the Defence Forces functions as the principal military adviser to the King of Malaysia, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Defence. The office is headquartered at Wisma Kementah, located within Camp Mindef (Malay: Kem Kementah), Kuala Lumpur, adjacent to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) complex.[1]
Informally referred to as Perintah Ulung (lit. 'Superior Command'), the Chief of the Defence Forces is a key member of the Armed Forces Council, which includes the Minister of Defence, the King's representative, the Chief of Army, the Chief of Navy, the Chief of Air Force, the Chief of Staff, and other senior defence officials.[1][2]
The position may be filled by a senior officer from any of the three service branches: the Malaysian Army, the Royal Malaysian Navy, or the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The title Panglima Angkatan Tentera (PAT) replaced the earlier designation Ketua Turus Angkatan Tentera (KTAT, Chief of Armed Forces Staff) in the early 1980s.[3][4]
The role is the direct successor to the General Officer Commanding of Malaya Command, which was reorganised following Malaya's independence on 31 August 1957. Its final commander, Major General Frank Hastings Brooke, continued to lead the national force after the dissolution of Malaya Command, which was succeeded by the Malayan Armed Forces, the precursor to the present-day Malaysian Armed Forces.[5]
The current Chief of the Defence Forces is General Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar having succeeded his predecessor, General Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman on 31 January 2025.[6]
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History
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Pre-independence origins and Malaya Command
During the pre-independence period, Malaya was governed by the United Kingdom, and its military presence primarily comprised Commonwealth forces. While local formations such as the Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps and similar units in Singapore and other Malay states existed, these were generally regarded as militia rather than components of a unified federal force.[7][8]
In 1924, the British established the Malaya Command to coordinate both regular and volunteer military units stationed across the peninsula. Its primary purpose was to defend British interests in Malaya in the event of conflict. The Malaya Command remained active until Malaya's independence in 1957, except during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War. The commanding officer held the title General Officer Commanding of Malaya Command, a position that would eventually evolve into the Chief of the Defence Forces.[8]
On 23 January 1933, the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States passed the Malay Regiment Bill, which led to the establishment of the Malay Regiment—the first regular federal military unit to be raised locally. This regiment is known today as the Royal Malay Regiment.[8][9]
Reorganisation under the Federation of Malaya
Following the establishment of the short-lived Malayan Union in 1946 and the subsequent political unrest, the British administration began to grant greater autonomy to local authorities. In 1948, the Federation of Malaya was formally created, although it continued to function as a de facto British protectorate. As part of this transition, the Malaya Command was restructured, and the newly formed Federation of Malaya Army was placed under its operational control. This force served as the predecessor of the present-day Malaysian Army. A new senior command position, titled General Officer Commanding, Federation of Malaya Army, was introduced to oversee its development.[10]
During the Malayan Emergency, the Malay Regiment was expanded to seven battalions. It was further supported by the formation of a multiracial regiment and an armoured vehicle squadron. These components were consolidated into a single federal land force under the Federation of Malaya Army. Although the Federation also established naval and air elements, the land forces remained the dominant branch. As a result, the Chief of Army held the position of the most senior military officer in practice, serving as the effective head of the entire armed forces during this period.[9][11]
Independence and the establishment of national command
Following the independence of the Federation of Malaya on 31 August 1957, the Malaya Command and its existing military units, including the Royal Malay Regiment, the Federation Regiment, the Federation Armoured Car Regiment (now known as the Royal Armoured Corps), and the Royal Malayan Navy (present-day Royal Malaysia Navy), were officially transferred from British to Malayan control. Additional support regiments were subsequently established to strengthen the new national defence force.[1][11]
Major General Frank Hastings Brooke, who had served as both the final General Officer Commanding of Malaya Command and the General Officer Commanding of the Federation of Malaya Army, remained in his position under the new administration. He thereby became the first Chief of Defence Forces and concurrently the first Chief of Army of the independent Federation of Malaya.[11]
Formation of the Malaysian Armed Forces
Following the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the armed forces of North Borneo (present-day Sabah), the Crown Colony of Sarawak, and the Colony of Singapore were integrated into the Malayan Armed Forces, forming a unified national military. In light of the expansion and increasing complexity of defence operations, the position of Chief of Defence Forces was formally separated from that of the Chief of Army, allowing for more effective leadership across all service branches.[9]
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List of Chief of Defence Forces
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As of 2025, a total of 23 individuals have been appointed as Chief of the Defence Forces, including two from the Royal Malaysian Air Force and one from the Royal Malaysian Navy.[3][12]
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References
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