Armed forces calls for greater ethnic diversity in military ranks
Armed Forces chief, General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, said that while the majority of newly commissioned officer cadets were Malay, the military remains firmly open to recruits from all backgrounds, describing the career as both demanding and highly respected.
"Of the 509 officer cadets commissioned today, 466 are Malays, while 14 are Indians, eight Chinese, four Bugis, and the rest comprise various ethnicities, including Rungus, Suluk, Sikh, and Bumiputera from Sabah and Sarawak, totalling around 20.
"I urge everyone, especially those from non-Malay communities, to consider the MAF as a viable career path—one that offers opportunities equal to other professional fields," he said.
He made these remarks during a press conference following the 2025 MAF Royal Commissioning Parade for Officer Cadets at the Army Chief's Parade Ground in Kem Perdana Sungai Besi here today.
He added that all officer cadets commissioned today not only received their commissions but also graduated with degrees in various fields that will contribute to the MAF's future development.
A total of 509 officer cadets were commissioned at the ceremony, comprising those who completed training at the Armed Forces Training Academy (AFTA), the Army Training Academy (ATA), the Royal Malaysian Navy's KD Sultan Idris I (KDSI I), and the Royal Malaysian Air Force College – Officer Training School (RMAF – OTS).
The ceremony also saw Second Lieutenant Muhamad Amir Akhtar Saiful Azmi named best overall cadet officer.
Other top honours went to - Lt Adam Daniel Suhaily (Best Army Cadet – Afta), Lt Azrul Naiem Shah Amer (Best Navy Cadet – Afta), Lt Fazril Azim Shaharuddin (Best Air Force Cadet – Afta), Lt Mohamad Syahmezan Amat (Best Army Cadet – Ata), Lt Ayman Saharuddin (Best Navy Cadet – KDSI I), Lt Muhamad Shahrul Amran (Best Air Force Cadet – RMAF – OTS).
Nation Jan 31, 2025 @ 7:17am
New armed forces chief vows to boost military's credibility
Nation Feb 4, 2025 @ 1:39am
Nizam plans to manage public perception of armed forces
Nation Feb 4, 2025 @ 4:25am
End factionalism, embrace integrity, says armed forces chief
Nation Feb 4, 2025 @ 1:17am
Strong human capital key to military resilience, says new armed forces chief
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Hani Terraced Fields: A Paradise Harboring Ingenious Technology
BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2025 – The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of China's accession to the World Heritage Convention, a milestone that highlights the country's commitment to preserving its cultural and natural treasures. Among these jewels, the Hani Terraced Fields in Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, stand as a breathtaking testament to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Nestled on mountain slopes with the gradient ranging from 15 to 75 degrees, the terraces cascade in stunning layers and can include as many as 3,000 steps. Over a thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Hani people migrated from the north to a valley in southern China. Despite the challenging natural environment, they made the most of the mountains and waters. The Hani people cultivated over 1 million mu (approximately 66,666.67 hectares) of rice terraces, some situated at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters, according to Ma Chongwei, a professor of Yunnan University. No matter how high the mountain, water finds its way. The Hani people constructed thousands of channels to divert streams. These channels wind through villages and terraced fields before merging with rivers in the valleys. Channel maintainers oversee the water channels, keeping them clean and ensuring proper flow. For over a thousand years, the Hani people have used water allocation tools to distribute water into a network of irrigation channels and ditches, showcasing their farming wisdom. Throughout the long agrarian era, the Hani people transformed mountains and rivers, sharing this landscape with the Yi, Dai and other Chinese ethnic groups living downhill. Deeply integrated into the ethnic culture, the terraces have now become the eternal spiritual homeland of the Hani people. In the terraces lies a harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, the agrarian wisdom attuned to natural rhythms and an enduring spirit of perseverance. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Barnama
21 hours ago
- Barnama
Pahang Sultan Calls For Collective Effort To Keep Jawi Script Alive
KUANTAN, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on the people of the state to take the lead in reviving the spirit and use of the Jawi script. His Royal Highness said that preserving the Jawi script was not just the responsibility of schools or religious institutions but a duty shared by all levels of society. 'The Jawi script is the lifeblood and true face of Malay identity. If it were to disappear from our lives, it would be as though part of the spirit and soul of this nation had vanished. 'Let it not merely become an obsolete treasure kept in a museum, but continue to live as the pulse of life, from remote villages to cities, from administrative affairs to the limitless virtual realm,' he said. The Pahang ruler made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Jawi and Malay Heritage Convention 2025 here today. Also present were the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, and Tengku Panglima Raja Brigadier General Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim Shah. At the event, His Royal Highness also launched the book Mahir Jawi: Panduan Komprehensif Untuk Semua Renggung, produced by Munsyi Dewan Jawi of Universiti Islam Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah (UniPSAS). Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he was aware of the challenges confronting the Jawi script in the current modern age, saying that it remained seldom used in daily life, sidelined in formal communication, and increasingly distant from the younger generation. To strengthen the Jawi script, he proposed several measures, including leveraging digital technology by developing Jawi-based applications and using social media platforms to ensure it remained relevant to the younger generation. His Royal Highness added that efforts should be made by local authorities to standardise Jawi script at business premises and tourist attractions in Pahang, train more Jawi experts through regular intensive courses, and strengthen research on Malay manuscripts written in Jawi script.
The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
Pahang Sultan urges collective effort to preserve Jawi script heritage
KUANTAN: Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on the people of the state to take the lead in reviving the spirit and use of the Jawi script. His Royal Highness said that preserving the Jawi script was not just the responsibility of schools or religious institutions but a duty shared by all levels of society. 'The Jawi script is the lifeblood and true face of Malay identity. If it were to disappear from our lives, it would be as though part of the spirit and soul of this nation had vanished. 'Let it not merely become an obsolete treasure kept in a museum, but continue to live as the pulse of life, from remote villages to cities, from administrative affairs to the limitless virtual realm,' he said. The Pahang ruler made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Jawi and Malay Heritage Convention 2025 here today. Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he was aware of the challenges confronting the Jawi script in the current modern age, saying that it remained seldom used in daily life, sidelined in formal communication, and increasingly distant from the younger generation. To strengthen the Jawi script, he proposed several measures, including leveraging digital technology by developing Jawi-based applications and using social media platforms to ensure it remained relevant to the younger generation. His Royal Highness added that efforts should be made by local authorities to standardise Jawi script at business premises and tourist attractions in Pahang, train more Jawi experts through regular intensive courses, and strengthen research on Malay manuscripts written in Jawi script. In the meantime, Al-Sultan Abdullah urged that the practice of wearing the baju Melayu be continued. 'It is not wrong to wear a jubah (robe), but do not forget to wear the baju Melayu. I also wish to inform you that the Pahang Royal Council will seek to introduce new ceremonial attire at the Palace, incorporating the wearing of the tanjak (traditional Malay headgear for men),' he said. A total of 200 participants, including presenters from Japan, Singapore and Brunei, took part in the two-day convention that began yesterday, which aimed, among other things, to cultivate a culture of exchanging knowledge on Jawi script, Khat, Malay language studies, and manuscripts. – Bernama
