Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, a former head of the Malaysian army, is expected to be made the new chief of the armed forces

Ex-army head Zulkifli to be armed forces chief

FMT Reporters | June 2, 2018



Defence Ministry sources confirm the promotion of the National Defence University vice-chancellor to highest-ranking military position on June 20.



Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin will be appointed to the highest-ranking military position on June 20. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, a former head of the Malaysian army, is expected to be made the new chief of the armed forces, the highest-ranking operational position in the military, with supervision of all three services.

A highly-placed source at the Defence Ministry said the decorated four-star general would replace Gen Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor on June 20.



Gen Raja Mohamed Affandi has held the post since June 14, 2013 and his contract was extended for a year, after reaching the mandatory retirement age on June 20 last year.

NST Online reported that Gen Zulkifi’s appointment had been approved by the Armed Forces Council on Thursday.

Zulkifli was previously head of the army for two years from 2011, before being made the vice-chancellor of the defence university. His posting to the university was regarded by defence observers at the time as him being sidelined.

He had been chancellor of the university in 2008, before being promoted to army chief.

The Chief of the Armed Forces is the highest operational military position, overseeing all three military services, after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who is commander-in-chief.