27th Army Chief

SHAH ALAM: 27th Army chief. Deputy Army chief Jen. Ahmad Hasbullah Nawawi has been promoted as the the 27th chief of the army. He replaces Jen Zulkiple Kassim who goes on leave today prior to mandatory retirement. Hasbullah was earlier promoted to a four star before the change of commmand ceremony.

Hasbullah, 58, was promoted to the deputy post in 2011 and it was expected he will become the chief within three years time.

Zulkiple (left) signing the instrument of transfer of power with Hasbullah.

However, in 2013, the then Army chief Jen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin was transferred to the Universiti Pertahanan Malaysia (UPNM) and the post was entrusted to Jen. Raja Affandi Raja Mohamad, who was then the Armed Forces headquarters chief of staff.

When Raja Affandi was promoted as the Armed Forces chief in December, 2016, Zulkiple, who was then the Field Commander, West was appointed as the chief of the Army ahead of Hasbullah.

Zulkiple taking his salute as the Army chief as his farewell parade this morning. Army picture

The Army today (Sept. 4) in its official Facebook page says Mej. Jen Sheikh Mokhsin Sheikh Hassan was promoted to Lt. General and currently the acting deputy Chief of Army.

Hasbullah profile from the Army’s official website

LIEUTENANT GENERAL DATO’ SERI PANGLIMA HJ AHMAD HASBULLAH BIN HJ MOHD NAWAWI

PJN SPTS DCSM PSAT DGMK DPMK DSAP DPMS PAT JSM KAT KMN AMK PJM PPS
usawc mpat plsc (Canada) MA (Lancaster) MSS (USAWC)

Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi originated from Kuala Kangsar, Perak and upon completion of his studies at the secondary school, he applied for Cadet Officer training and was selected to attend the Officer Cadet School, Portsea, Australia. He was commissioned into the Royal Malay Regiment on 11 December 1981.

Throughout his career, Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi has held several staff appointments at the unit and formation headquarters and also served as an instructor. He was directly involved in combating communist threats at the border until the Communist Party of Malaya (PKM) surrendered on 2 December 1989. Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi was also entrusted to command the 2nd Royal Malay Regiment in 1995 and later as Commander of 11th Brigade in 2005, General Officer Commanding at 3 Div in 2007 and also successfully commanded the Army Field Headquarters in 2009 before becoming the Malaysian Deputy Chief of Army on 1 August 2011.

He has held several important tasks namely Staff Officer Grade One at the Army Headquarters, Chief of Staff at 11 Brigade, and Assistant Chief of Staff Operations and Training Branch, Army Headquarters. Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi was the only Infantry Officer who had served as the Director of Education from April 1, 2001, to April 17, 2003.

During his tenure as Director of Education, he was involved in transforming the MAF Higher Education Scheme policy for full-time studies with full salary being approved for MAF personnel at all levels of education scheme and the Distance Learning Program with Open University Malaysia was introduced. He was also involved directly in the process of establishing an Academic and MAF Loan Fund Scheme (TAPAT) and the Children’s Academic Loan Scheme (SPAAT) which can be enjoyed by military personnel until now. In the field of training, he was assigned as Instructor at the Officer Cadet School, Port Dickson in 1986 and Directing Staff in the Army Combat Training Centre in 1993.

Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi has attended several professional courses both locally and abroad. Among them are Australian Infantry Centre Singleton, US Army Infantry School Fort Benning Georgia, Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College and US Army War College (USAWC). He holds a Diploma in Training and Development (Leicester University UK), Master in International Relations and Strategic Studies (Lancaster) and Master of Strategic Studies (USAWC). He also won Best Academic Participant and was awarded the College Board Prize while attending the Malaysian Armed Force Defence College in 2000.

Lt Gen Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Ahmad Hasbullah bin Hj Mohd Nawawi is married to Datin Seri Noor Akmar binti Yaacob, and they are blessed with three children. He enjoys reading in his leisure time, shooting and sports.

* Edited to add the promotion of the new deputy.

–Malaysian Defence