New Malaysian Army Chief

THE Malaysian Army received a new chief as Lieutenant General Azhan Md Othman takes over the helm of the Malaysian land force, becoming the 31st Chief of Army and attaining his fourth star in the process. General Azhan was formally promoted in a ceremony today at the Ministry of Defence by the defence minister Khaled Nordin and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Zulhelmy Itnain as acting Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) as well as the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief Gen Muhamad Norazlan Aris.

Gen Azhan’s appointment was made in accordance with the decision of the 631st Armed Forces Council meeting last November and received Royal Assent from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. Gen Azhan succeeds Gen Hafizuddeain Jantan who had been bogged down with allegations of corruption. Gen Hafizuddeain had been poised to take the MAF’s top job as CDF before the allegations against him surfaced, prompting the defence ministry to put him on leave and postpone his appointment as CDF.

Additionally, his appointment comes at a crucial time for the Army and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), as they wrestle allegations of orruption by its previous chief, several intelligence officers affiliated with the MAF, allegations of misconduct by Army officers in camps, and the retirement of the previous CDF Gen Mohd Nizam Jaafar.

An Army release stated, ” Gen Azhan’s leadership background and experience are expected to ensure continuity in the service’s leadership while further strengthening the army’s readiness as the main pillar of national defence. Integrity, transparent governance and the inculcation of noble military values would be emphasised as the core of his leadership, in line with the Future Force – Land Domain Strategy, which supports the aspirations of the Defence White Paper.”

Gen Azhan began his military career as an officer cadet in 1987 before receiving his commission into the Royal Malay Regiment in 1989. As an infantry officer, Gen Azhan has held various command and staff appointments, including commanding officer of the 24th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment, instructor at the MAF Staff College, and commander of Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) 850-6. He also served as commander of the 2nd Infantry Division before being promoted as Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations and Training) at Army Headquarters in September 2024.