Chief of Defence Forces (Malaysia)

During the pre-independence era, Malaya was governed by the United Kingdom, and most of the military presence in the region consisted of Commonwealth forces. While local military units such as the Penang and Province Wellesley Volunteer Corps and similar formations in Singapore and other Malay States did exist, these were generally considered territorial defence units rather than part of a unified federal army.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forgotten-names-recalled.org/|title=Forgotten Names Recalled: The Singapore Cenotaph Project|last=Lim|first=Rosemary|website=Forgotten Names Recalled}}{{Cite book |last=Palmer |first=Robert |url=https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2019/12/Malaya-Command-1930-42-History-Personnel.pdf |title=A CONCISE HISTORY OF: MALAYA COMMAND (HISTORY & PERSONNEL) |date=2019 |publisher=British Military History}}

In 1924, the British established the Malaya Command to coordinate both regular and volunteer military forces stationed in the region, with the aim of defending Malaya in the event of armed conflict. The Malaya Command operated continuously until Malaya's independence in 1957, with the exception of the period during Japanese occupation in the Second World War. The commanding officer held the title General Officer Commanding, Malaya Command, a role roughly equivalent to what would later become the Chief of the Defence Forces.

On 23 January 1933, the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States passed the Malay Regiment Bill, leading to the creation of the first locally raised, regular federal military unit—the Malay Regiment (today known as the Royal Malay Regiment).{{Cite web|url=https://btdmonline.net/2015/10/sejarah-penubuhan-angkatan-tentera-malaysia/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628054553/http://btdmonline.net/2015/10/sejarah-penubuhan-angkatan-tentera-malaysia/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 28, 2016|title=Sejarah Penubuhan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia|last=Yahaya|first=Ainur Aisyah|date=15 October 2015|website=BTDM|language=Ms}}

Following the formation of the short-lived Malayan Union in 1946 and subsequent unrest, the British began granting greater administrative autonomy to local authorities. In 1948, the Federation of Malaya was established, though it remained a de facto British protectorate. As part of this administrative shift, the Malaya Command was redesignated as the Federation of Malaya Army, and the title of its commander was changed to General Officer Commanding, Federation of Malaya Army.{{Cite journal |last=Abd. Rahim |first=Mohd. Helmi |last2=Ahmad |first2=Fauziah |last3=Mustaffa |first3=Normah |last4=Lyndon |first4=Novel |date=April 2013 |title=A "Memoryscape" Malayan Union 1946: The Beginning and Rise of Modern Malay Political Culture |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304023416_A_Memoryscape_Malayan_Union_1946_The_Beginning_and_Rise_of_Modern_Malay_Political_Culture |journal=Asian Social Science |volume=9 |issue=6 |pages=36 |doi=10.5539/ass.v9n6p36 |via=ResearchGate|doi-access=free }}

During the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960), the Malay Regiment expanded to seven battalions and was supplemented by the formation of a multiracial regiment and an armoured vehicle squadron. These formations were consolidated into a single federal force, becoming the Federation of Malaya Army, the forerunner of today's Malaysian Army. Despite the integration of other services such as the navy and air force, the Malayan Armed Forces remained relatively small. At that time, the Chief of the Army, being the head of the largest branch, also served as the de facto head of the entire military.{{Cite book |last=Yusof |first=Nordin, Dato' |url=https://library.water.gov.my/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=10047&shelfbrowse_itemnumber=20625 |title=Maruah & pengorbanan: Angkatan Tentera Malaysia |date=1994 |publisher=Angkatan Tentera Malaysia |isbn=978-983-997-542-0 |location=Kuala Lumpur |language=ms |trans-title=Honour & Sacrifice: The Malaysian Armed Forces}}

Following Malaya's independence on 31 August 1957, command of existing units—including the Royal Malay Regiment, Federation Regiment, Federation Armoured Car Regiment (today known as the Royal Armoured Corps), and the Royal Malayan Navy—was formally transferred from British to Malayan control. Additional support regiments were subsequently raised.

The last General Officer Commanding, Federation of Malaya Army, Lieutenant General Frank Hasting Brooke, continued in his role under the new administration, making him the first Chief of the Defence Forces and concurrently the first Chief of Army in independent Malaya.

With the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the military forces of North Borneo (now Sabah), the Crown Colony of Sarawak (now Sarawak), and the Colony of Singapore were integrated with the Malayan Armed Forces, creating a unified national military. As a result of this expansion, the position of Chief of the Defence Forces was formally separated from the Chief of Army to better manage the increased size and complexity of the armed forces.

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.{{cite news|url=http://www.mod.gov.my/ms/berita/1298-majlis-serah-terima-tugas-panglima-angkatan-tentera-malaysia-pat-antara-ym-jen-tan-sri-raja-mohamed-affandi-raja-mohamed-noor-dan-jen-tan-sri-dato-sri-zulkifli-zainal-abidin.html|title=Majlis Serah Terima Tugas Panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PAT), Antara YM Jen Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor dan Jen Tan Sri Dato' Seri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin|date=20 June 2018|publisher=Ministry of Defence Malaysia|language=Ms|access-date=27 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144336/http://www.mod.gov.my/ms/berita/1298-majlis-serah-terima-tugas-panglima-angkatan-tentera-malaysia-pat-antara-ym-jen-tan-sri-raja-mohamed-affandi-raja-mohamed-noor-dan-jen-tan-sri-dato-sri-zulkifli-zainal-abidin.html|archive-date=27 June 2018|url-status=dead}}

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Chief of Defence Forces

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

| showdefencebranch = y

| showref = y

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = Lieutenant General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Sir Frank Hasting Brooke

| officeholder_sort = Brook, Frank

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1909

| died_year = 1982

| term_start = 11 June 1956

| term_end = 26 October 1959

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1956|06|11|1959|10|26|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image = רודני מור, בריגדיר בצבא הבריטי בארץ ישראל, 1946 (cropped).jpg

| military_rank = Lieutenant General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Sir Rodney Moore

| officeholder_sort = Moore, Rodney

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1905

| died_year = 1985

| term_start = 27 October 1959

| term_end = 31 December 1963

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1959|10|27|1963|12|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = Yang Mulia General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Tunku Osman

| officeholder_sort = Osman, Tunku

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1919

| died_year = 1994

| term_start = 1 January 1964

| term_end = 24 November 1969

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1964|01|01|1969|11|24|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = General Sir Richard Hull speaks to officers (Abdul Hamid Bidin).jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bidin

| officeholder_sort = Bidin, Abdul

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1917

| died_year = 1995

| term_start = 25 November 1969

| term_end = 30 June 1970

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1969|11|25|1970|06|30|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 5

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tun Ibrahim Ismail

| officeholder_sort = Ismail, Ibrahim

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1922

| died_year = 2010

| term_start = 1 July 1970

| term_end = 30 November 1977

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1970|07|01|1977|11|30|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 6

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Panglima Mohd Sany Abdul Ghaffar

| officeholder_sort = Ghaffar, Mohd Sany

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1927

| died_year = 2015

| term_start = 1 December 1977

| term_end = 19 January 1982

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1977|12|01|1982|01|19|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 7

| image = Mohd Ghazali Mohd Seth.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Sri Mohd Ghazali Mohd Seth

| officeholder_sort = Seth, Mohd Ghazali

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1929

| died_year = 2021

| term_start = 20 January 1982

| term_end = 31 October 1985

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1982|01|20|1985|10|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 8

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Panglima Mohd Ghazali Che Mat

| officeholder_sort = Mat, Mohd Ghazali

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1931

| died_year = 2021

| term_start = 1 November 1985

| term_end = 5 October 1987

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1985|11|01|1987|10|05|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 9

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tun Tan Sri Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali

| officeholder_sort = Ali, Mohamed Hashim

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1937

| died_year =

| term_start = 6 October 1987

| term_end = 10 April 1992

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1987|10|06|1992|04|10|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 10

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Panglima Yaacob Mohd Zain

| officeholder_sort = Zain, Yaacob

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1935

| died_year =

| term_start = 11 April 1992

| term_end = 3 March 1993

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1992|04|11|1993|03|03|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 11

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid

| officeholder_sort = Hamid, Abdul

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1938

| died_year = 2022

| term_start = 4 March 1993

| term_end = 31 January 1994

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1993|03|04|1994|01|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 12

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Borhan Ahmad

| officeholder_sort = Ahmad, Borhan

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1939

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 February 1994

| term_end = 2 February 1995

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1994|02|01|1995|02|02|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 13

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ismail Omar

| officeholder_sort = Omar, Ismail

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1941

| died_year =

| term_start = 3 February 1995

| term_end = 31 December 1998

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1995|02|03|1998|12|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 14

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Mohd Zahidi Zainuddin

| officeholder_sort = Zainuddin, Mohd

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1949

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 January 1999

| term_end = 28 April 2005

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1999|01|01|2005|04|28|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 15

| image = Badge of the Malaysian Armed Forces.svg

| military_rank = Admiral

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor

| officeholder_sort = Nor, Mohd

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1951

| died_year =

| term_start = 29 April 2005

| term_end = 31 January 2007

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2005|04|29|2007|01|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Navy|Malaysia}}

| ref = {{cite news |title=Thai army chief to meet Malaysian counterparts to discuss southern violence |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=42719 |work=The China Post |date=28 November 2006 |access-date=23 January 2011 }}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 16

| image = Abdul Aziz Zainal.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Aziz Zainal

| officeholder_sort = Zainal, Abdul

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1951

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 February 2007

| term_end = 31 August 2009

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2007|02|01|2009|08|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 17

| image = The Chief of Royal Malaysian Air Force, General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Azizan Bin Ariffin called on the Minister of State of Defence, Shri M.M. Pallam Raju, in New Delhi on July 29, 2009.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Dato' Seri Azizan Ariffin

| officeholder_sort = Ariffin, Azizan

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1953

| died_year =

| term_start = 1 September 2009

| term_end = 14 June 2011

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2009|09|01|2011|06|14|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Air force|Malaysia}}

| ref = {{cite news|last1=Abu Bakar|first1=Raja Syahrir|title=Panglima Tentera Udara cipta sejarah|url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0829&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Polis_%26_Tentera&pg=te_01.htm|date=29 August 2009|language=ms|access-date=6 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507013557/http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0829&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Polis_%26_Tentera&pg=te_01.htm|archive-date=7 May 2018|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 18

| image = Gen_Tan_Sri_Zulkifeli_Mohd_Zin.png

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin

| officeholder_sort = Zin, Zulkifeli

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1956

| died_year =

| term_start = 15 June 2011

| term_end = 16 December 2016

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2011|06|15|2016|12|16|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 19

| image = Jen_TS_Raja_Mohamed_Affandi_Raja_Mohamed_Noor.png

| military_rank = Yang Mulia General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor

| officeholder_sort = Noor, Raja

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1958

| died_year =

| term_start = 17 December 2016

| term_end = 19 June 2018

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2016|12|17|2018|06|20|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref = {{cite news|last1=Md. Yusof|first1=Mohd. Azraie|title=Raja Mohamed Affandi Panglima ATM baharu|url=http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/raja-mohamed-affandi-panglima-atm-baharu-1.345717|work=Utusan Malaysia|date=22 June 2016|language=Ms}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 20

| image = Jeneral Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin

| officeholder_sort = Zainal, Zulkifli

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1960

| died_year =

| term_start = 20 June 2018

| term_end = 1 January 2020

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2018|06|20|2020|01|01|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 21

| image = Affendi Buang (cropped).jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Affendi Buang

| officeholder_sort = Buang, Affendi

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1962

| died_year =

| term_start = 2 January 2020

| term_end = 5 September 2023

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2020|01|02|2023|09|05|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Air force|Malaysia}}

| ref = {{cite news |last=Camoens |first=Austin |date=2 January 2020 |title=Affendi Buang is new Malaysian Armed Forces chief |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/02/affendi-buang-is-new-malaysian-armed-forces-chief |work=The Star (Malaysia) |access-date=2 January 2020}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 22

| image = 20240507-Amb-Kagan-DSA-MITEC-002 (cropped).jpg

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman

| officeholder_sort = Ab Rahman, Mohammad

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1964

| died_year =

| term_start = 6 September 2023

| term_end = 30 January 2025

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2023|09|06|2025|01|30|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref = {{cite news |last=Baharuddin|first=Fauzi |date=6 September 2023 |title=Mohammad dilantik Panglima Angkatan Tentera ke-22 |url=https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2023/09/mohammad-dilantik-panglima-angkatan-tentera-ke-22/ |work=Utusan Malaysia|access-date=6 September 2023}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 23

| image =

| military_rank = General

| officeholder = Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar

| officeholder_sort = Nizam Jaffar, Mohd

| officeholder_note =

| born_year = 1966

| died_year =

| term_start = 31 January 2025

| term_end = Incumbent

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2025|01|31|df=y|duration=on}}

| defence_branch = {{Army|Malaysia}}

| ref =

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Military of Malaysia}}

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Category:Military of Malaysia

Category:Chiefs of defence