SHAH ALAM: Army deputy chief Lieutenant General DS Mohammad Ab Rahman, 59, was promoted as general and appointed as the 29th Army chief today. He succeeded Gen TS Zamrose Mohd Zain, 61, who is retiring. The promotion and handing-over ceremony was witnessed by Defence Minister DSU Mohamad Hasan and Chief of Defence Forces General TS Affendi Buang at Wisma Pertahanan.
The official biography of Mohammad, updated today:
Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman dilahirkan di Machang, Kelantan pada 15 Mac 1964. Beliau mendapat pendidikan awal di Sekolah Menengah Sains Kelantan sebelum melanjutkan pelajaran di Cawangan Putera, Maktab Tentera Diraja pada tahun 1980. Setelah menamatkan latihan dari Maktab Tentera Diraja pada bulan Disember 1981, Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman meneruskan pengajian di peringkat Ijazah Sains Komputer dari University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Amerika Syarikat. Beliau telah ditauliahkan sebagai seorang pegawai muda ke dalam Kor Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja pada 1 Julai 1987.
Di sepanjang perkhidmatan, Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman telah menghadiri pelbagai kursus di dalam dan juga di luar negara. Antara lain adalah Kursus Staf dan Taktik Gred 2 di Waiouru, New Zealand, Army Command and Staf College di Queenscliffe, Australia, Law of Armed Conflict di Sydney, Australia dan Defence and Strategic Studies Course di Canberra, Australia. Beliau juga merupakan graduan daripada Maktab Pertahanan Angkatan Tentera, Kuala Lumpur. Selain itu, beliau juga memegang Ijazah Sarjana Pengajian Pertahanan dari University of Canberra, Australia dan Ijazah Sarjana Sains Sosial (Kajian Pertahanan) dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman telah diberi kepercayaan memegang pelbagai jawatan pemerintah dan staf sepanjang perkhidmatan beliau di dalam Angkatan Tentera Malaysia dan di luar negara. Jawatan staf utama yang pernah disandang oleh beliau adalah Pembantu Ketenteraan kepada Panglima Tentera Darat, Pegawai Staf di dalam Misi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di Republik Demokratik Congo (MONUC), Pemangku Pengarah Operasi Domestik di Markas Angkatan Bersama, Ketua Staf Markas Briged Ketiga Infantri, Ketua Staf Markas Divisyen Ketiga Infantri, Pengarah Kanan di Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security (MiDAS) dan Asisten Ketua Staf Perancangan dan Pembangunan di Markas Tentera Darat.
Pelbagai jawatan sebagai pemerintah juga telah disandang oleh beliau daripada peringkat Batalion hingga ke pemerintahan peringkat Medan di dalam Tentera Darat. Beliau merupakan Pegawai Memerintah Batalion Ke-23 Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja, Panglima Briged Kedua Infantri, Panglima Divisyen Ketiga Infantri dan Panglima Latihan Tentera Darat sebelum memegang jawatan Panglima Medan Barat Tentera Darat pada bulan Jun 2020. Pada 19 Disember 2020, Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman telah dilantik sebagai Timbalan Panglima Tentera Darat Ke-25.
Pada 22 Mac 2023, hasil kecemerlangan serta dedikasinya kepada perkhidmatan, Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman telah dinaikkan pangkat dan dilantik sebagai Panglima Tentera Darat ke-29.
Jeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman telah mendirikan rumah tangga dengan Datin Seri Ramlah binti Dawi dan dikurniakan dengan tiga orang cahaya mata iaitu dua orang perempuan dan seorang lelaki. Sukan kegemaran beliau adalah golf dan beliau menggunakan masa terluang dengan membaca.
Mohammad’s first command – the 23 RAMD (RMR) – is currently based at Kem Gua Permai in Ipoh, Perak. The unit is currently forward deployed to the ESSCOM area of responsibility.
On Tuesday, Mohammad handed-over his duty as the deputy chief to his successor Lt General Mohd Sofi Md Lepi. Mohd Sofi, 59, was appointed as the acting deputy chief. He was the Army headquarters chief of staff.
— Malaysian Defence
Not much can be done to improve things strategically if all the Panglimas can have only one or two years tenure at each post.
Proper succession planning would see a young Panglima promoted at the age of 50 and achieving the position of PTD at age 55. Then a tenure of 5 years before retirement can the person bring about some definitive changes.
Unfortunately, the Army’s promotion structure is rigidly stuck on seniority.
Interesting in that he has earned a pair of foreign jump wings. Hard to make out but the one below appears to be Thai and the one above Indonesian.
There are reasons why Chiefs (including polis IGP) are only allowed to serve for short durations. Its the same in many other countries (e.g. US, Singapore, UK, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, etc.). Security and political reasons. The premise being, the armed forces is required to be always subservient to the civilian government.
Nope…Singapore Chief of Army was in his early 40s when promoted. Same with the previous one.
At certain times of our revolving Governments, the chiefs are replaced prematurely, got cold storaged, extended contract post retirement age, or timing coincides ‘allowed’ to retire as scheduled. Either the existing heads will play ball if they know what’s best for them or their successors will play ball with the Government of the day. That’s what’s happening recently.