Restrict use of military ranks

As far as I know, as a former Army officer who earned an Agong's commission, no countries other than Malaysia allow the use of military ranks, for officers and other ranks, other than its use by their military personnel.

A check with some friends, retired and serving military personnel, from Singapore, USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, India and Pakistan, confirms my view above.

I wonder what it would feel like for someone without the right credentials, qualifications and experience, to wear the rank of a Major General, Lieutenant General or General with two, three or four stars respectively on their shoulders, for example.

Does he know what the implications are and what are the duties and responsibilities of people with two, three or four stars on his shoulders adorning his uniform?

Of late, we seem to see many people being conferred with senior military ranks by different people who may not have the authority to do so or ‘who may only assume such authority’ such as ministers and head of departments and this practice seems to be proliferating.

Recently, even a president of an association of people who are entertainers, including some clowns among them, was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel (RELA). The association he leads is not even involved in the business of keeping peace and security of the country. What are the criteria used in granting him an honorary rank?

Has the King’s authority been diminished or taken away?

Do ministers or head of departments have the authority to confer them?

Rightfully, in this country, only the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King) has the authority to confer commissions to officers of our military personnel that is after they have completed an approved scheduled theory and practical training for at least one year.

We have our own Royal Military College to train qualified candidates, men and women, to become military officers. Upon successful completion of their officer cadet training, they are commissioned by the King as 2nd Lieutenants and they are then sent to various units to serve. There are others, after completing basic training locally that are sent to officer cadet schools either in USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK, India or Pakistan. These officers will receive their commissions from the heads of state of the respective countries of the military colleges they go to.

All officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces take the oath of allegiance and loyalty to the King and country which states more or less as follows, “I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the country and the Constitution of Malaysia, the King and country, against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter."

The oath of allegiance is accompanied with a full length photo and fingerprints of all ten fingers of the officer and not just the thumbprint like what is done in other oath or agreement documents.

As the officer progresses in his career, he will have to undergo further training, attend courses and sit for and pass scheduled examinations at various stages of his career before he gets promoted to Lieutenant, Captain, Major and so on and he is given added responsibilities to shoulder until he gets to be a four star general. The higher the rank, the fewer are the holders. In the Malaysian Armed Forces, the rank of four-star general is accorded to only four officers, viz. the Panglima Angkatan Tentera (Chief of the Armed Forces), Panglima Tentera Darat (Chief of the Army), Panglima Tentera Laut (Chief of the Navy) and Panglima Tentera Udara (Chief of the Air Force).

Every ranking and non-ranking personnel (private) in the military know exactly what their specific roles, duties and responsibilities are and they are well trained and equipped to carry out their respective roles properly. Every one of them knows where they stand in the line of command. He or she may be in a section, platoon, company or a battalion or even in larger organisations such as a brigade, division or in an Army Corp or an Army Group and so on.

The Malaysian Volunteers Corps Act 2012 (Rela Act) which came into operation on 22nd June 2012. As members of the Volunteers Corps, RELA members are not military officers but in the schedule (Section 22) of the Rela Act, officers of RELA are accorded ranks exactly like the military with the ranks of Majors up to General considered as officers and from the ranks or privates up to Captains, they are known as members. The insignia and rank designs, including the number of stars used, are almost exactly like the ones used by the Malaysian Army.

RELA personnel, officers and members, wear uniforms that has a military-like look complete with berets and they are now commonly seen everywhere; to take care of traffic at weddings, at shopping complexes, markets, schools, for example. Their presence may give a wrong impression to foreigners and tourists who may think that military personnel are being deployed everywhere and questions may rise about our security situation. Worse still, if foreign journalists write about wrong assumptions they perceive after seeing the indiscretion of RELA officers everywhere in this country.

We, former and existing members of the Malaysian Armed Forces, are unclear about the rationale in the use of military ranks by RELA and we wonder if the people who approve the Act have the authority to do so. I also do not think that the formation of RELA and the drawing up of the Act were ever discussed with MINDEF at all.

The Act makes light, if not fun, of military ranks.

RELA officers and members may use insignias to indicate the respective and different positions or appointment but they must never use insignias and ranks similar to the ones use by the military. Military insignias and ranks are only for military use and it must be treated like a trademark or a copyright of the Malaysian Armed Forces. They also must not wear uniforms that are similar or exactly the same as military personnel. This has to be observed, respected and honored by all.

Military uniforms, insignias and ranks must be restricted in their use to military officers only.

Of course, officers providing essential services such as the Sea Ports and Malayan Railways, for example, who during an emergency or a war, may be mobilised as military personnel, are allowed to use uniforms, military ranks and insignias similar to the ones used by the Malaysian Army and that is provided by law on certain official occasions.

In a wedding ceremony of a major local male celebrity not too long ago, the groom even had the gall to put two stars on his shoulders similar to the stars use by an officer with the rank of Major General in the Army on the military ceremonial dress he wore at his wedding and he even had the gall to have people who look like police officers as sword bearers at his wedding do.

Only genuine military and police officers are entitled to the services of sword-bearers to parade or perform at their weddings and no one else.

All the above questionable acts has made a total mockery of military ranks and military uniforms and the novelty of being officers of all ranks is now lost. No one seems to be in control of the situation and the government, including the Prime Minister, seems to be silent about it. In addition to that, not even the Defence Minister and none of the senior serving military officers have said anything about the situation.

If similar actions happen in the countries I mentioned above, there will surely be a big hue and cry about it. People there respect and honour dearly people in the military and their rights and no one makes fun of them. They are proud of their soldiers, officers and other ranks (veterans), who have fought in the various wars in the past either in defending their country or their sovereignty.

If the use of military uniforms, insignias and ranks are not controlled or restricted in this country, we will soon have military style organisations complete with military uniforms and ranks and perhaps equipped with weapons and, they may or they can create unnecessary and unwanted problems that may undermine the country’s peace, security and prosperity.

We, the retired and serving members of the Malaysian Armed Forces, hope that the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Home Minister and the government will take a serious look at this matter and correct the situation as soon as possible.

Contributed By: 

Captain Hussaini Abdul Karim, RAD (Rtd.)