Second submariner to command Royal Malaysian Navy

VICE Admiral Zulhelmy Ithnain has been appointed the 19th Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). With his succession to the Navy’s helm, the Vice Admiral attains his fourth star to Admiral.

Adm Zulhelmy is now the second submariner to lead the Navy, he has held the position in an acting capacity since August 1 when his predecessor, fellow submariner Adm Abdul Rahman handed over the reins.

Adm Zulhelmy joined the Navy as a cadet officer in 1986 and received his commission as a Sub-Lieutenant in the executive branch two years later. He went on to earn his submariners qualification badge in 1993 following his completion of submarine training at HMAS Platypus, Australia. He then completed the submarine course in Brest, France, where he earned his command qualification aboard an Agosta-class submarine.

The Navy’s first ever submarine, the Scorpene-class KD Tunku Abdul Rahman was brought home by the Admiral after a two-month voyage in 2009.

Some posts he had previously held are Commander of the Submarine Force, Assistant Chief of Staff for Development at the Joint Force Headquarters, Assistant Chief of Staff for Planning and Development at the Navy headquarters, Commander of the Naval Region 1, President of the National Centre for Defence Studies and Deputy Chief of Navy.

He has attended the National Defence College of the Philippines and is an alumnus of the prestigious United States Naval War College, as well as the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Defence Studies.-shp/adj/dl (Pix:RMN)