The Malaysian Armed Forces will establish a special forces operation command that combines elements of special forces from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Malaysian Sun Daily newspaper reports. MAF chief General Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin said the team would carry out special tasks involving national and strategic interests.

MAF chief General Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin (Picture via The Sun Daily)

Without stating when the team would begin operating, General Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin said it would also deal with matters such as training and MAF doctrines involving other countries. “The Joint Force Headquarters (MAB) and MAF Headquarters need to strengthen their role as the major platforms in mobilising this military unit together and enhancing the ‘joint’ element in all aspects including training, exercise and operations. “The establishment of these ‘regional commands’ will be reviewed in detail from various aspects including organisation, structure, and composition,“ he said during his new year’s address at Wisma Pertahanan here on 4 January. Also present were Army chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi, Air Force commander Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang and Navy chief Admiral Datuk Mohd Reza Mohd Sany.

In addition, Zulkifli said that, this year, the MAF would hold a joint exercise led by MAB comprising all three branches of the military. “This exercise is known as the 2019 Pahlawan (Warrior) Exercise and will be held in October this year. “The training will also include ‘command post exercise’ and ‘field training exercise’ involving troops, land, sea, and air assets, as well as special forces,“ he said, adding that the MAF would be carrying out almost 60 bilateral and multilateral exercises this year.