KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman has taken the helm as Malaysia’s 22nd defence chief.
He succeeds Tan Sri Affendi Buang, who had served in the position since January 2020.
Earlier today, Mohammad also passed the baton for his former role as chief of the army to Datuk Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.
The ceremony at the Defence Ministry today was attended by its minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Minister Mohamad congratulated the new defence chief for his appointment, and hoped that the new leadership would champion the armed forces towards achieving excellence.
The minister also noted that the armed forces must be integrated, agile, and focused in order to be prepared for any threats to national security.
As such, he added that the members must maintain their professionalism and spirit of loyalty amid the leadership change.
New defence chief Mohammad graduated from various defence institutions, including the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College in Kuala Lumpur, and he holds a master’s in defence studies from the University of Canberra.
He also held numerous important positions before his appointment, such as the commanding officer of the 23rd Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, as well as chief of the second and third infantry brigades.
In June 2020, he became the army’s Western field commander before being promoted to army chief in December. – September 6, 2023