KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today expressed happiness over the achievements and high performance showcased by the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).
His Majesty, who is the Supreme Commander of the ATM, said this at the parade of thanks today, held in conjunction with the end of his reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, on Jan 30, which took place at Kem Perdana, Sungai Besi.
Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah also attended the event.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said that the ATM has shown unwavering loyalty to the King and the country since its inception.
The army personnel have consistently shown bravery, regardless of the circumstances, weather, or personal comfort, be it in navigating the oceans or the air space, or facing the wilderness, both locally and abroad.
He emphasised that ATM personnel have been on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement control order, to ensure that the country’s administrative structure and security remained steadfast and secure.
“Even during disasters, the ATM is among the first agencies to arrive to help the people affected by the disaster,” he added.
“On the international scene, the ATM team has always bravely served, together with soldiers from other countries, in various United Nations (UN) missions.
“Praise and deep respect for the ATM’s capabilities when serving with foreign military forces clearly show that the ATM has successfully made strides, from a counter-insurgency force to a conventional force which can be manoeuvred in various dimensions, theatres and assignment domains,” said His Majesty.
Moving forward, Al-Sultan Abdullah wants the leadership of the ATM to continue to improve the aspects of governance and control, as well as professionalism so that the force will continue to remain strong as the main bastion of the country’s defence.
His Majesty said that the ATM should continue to be strengthened in line with the country’s goals, to form a future force capable of protecting the country’s sovereignty, and at the same time, being able to deal with the world’s complex geopolitical challenges.
Therefore, the aspiration towards the formation of a credible and high-capacity ATM in the future should be made a national agenda item, said Al-Sultan Abdullah.
At the same time, His Majesty wants the welfare and well-being of ATM personnel should also be focused on, apart from the formation of high-quality human capital which is the main pillar in supporting the aspirations of future generations.
His Majesty said all this can be achieved through the synergy of close cooperation between the government, society as a whole and ATM.
“Therefore, ATM needs to be ready and open to go through the transformation process to create a collaborative landscape across agencies to achieve one goal and one objective for our beloved country.
“The future generation that will be formed is a guarantee in determining the sovereignty of the country will always be preserved and this blessed land will be able to be inherited by future generations,” His Majesty said.
The King also expressed his deep appreciation for the unwavering loyalty and all the devotional services displayed by ATM personnel during his tenure as the Supreme Leader of ATM.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he and Raja Permaisuri greatly appreciate the family members of ATM personnel, for providing support and also making sacrifices to allow their loved ones to serve the country.
“Sacrificing oneself to defend the sovereignty and well-being of the country is a noble duty that should be highly praised by all Malaysians.
“This noble task has been carried out with full glory by ATM veterans. I also want to express my deep appreciation to all ATM veterans,” said His Majesty.
Al-Sultan Abdullah and Raja Permaisuri also prayed for Malaysia to continue to be blessed with Allah’s grace and lasting protection for the nation’s heroes and heroines who bravely served the country. – BERNAMA
