Royal Military College, Kuala Lumpur
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The Royal Military College (also known as RMC and sometimes dubbed the "the Sandhurst of Malaysia" and "The Synthesis of Eton-Sandhurst") is a premier residential school in Malaysia. The sprawling RMC Campus covers an area of 1200 acres amongst the Green Hills near the town of Sungei Besi (about 10 miles from Kuala Lumpur) with a magnificent view of the Mines Resort and the 1998 Commonwealth Games Bukit Jalil Stadium. In the Malay language, it is known as Maktab Tentera DiRaja. A current student of RMC is known as a Present Putera, while a graduate of the institution is known as an Old Putera. The term Putera, literally meaning prince in Malay, is attributed to the RMC's royal status.
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[edit] Charter
The Royal Military College has been established with the objective of preparing young Malaysians to take places as Officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces, in the higher divisions of the public service and as leaders in the professional, commercial and industrial life of the country.
The motto of the college is Serve to Lead or Berkhidmat Memimpin.
[edit] The Sportsman's Prayer
The Sportsman's Prayer is reflective of the sportsmanship and sporting tradition of the college. It is inscribed on a bronze plaque that is situated on a white rock by the rugby field in the college.
"Oh God, please help me to win for I always want to win. But if in thy inscrutable wisdom thou willest me not to win, then make me a good loser, for when the one great scorer comes to write against your name, he writes, not that you won or lost, but how you played the game."
[edit] History
In July 1952, the Federation Regiment Bill was passed in the Federal Legislative Council. This Bill opened a new page in Malayan Military history for it paved the way for the development of the first multi-racial infantry unit called the Federation Regiment. This was later followed by the formation of the various support and logistic units, such as the Federation Armoured Car Regiment, Artillery, Engineers, Supply and Transport, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and theOrdinance.
Prior to 1952, there had been what was called the “Training Depot of the Malay Regiment” in Port Dickson. Here courses were held in signals, tactics and military administration. The Depot also provide educational facilities to bring selected members of the Regiment up to the necessary academic standard for acceptance at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, for higher military training, with a view to qualifying for commissioned rank.
On the 3rd of July 1952, Mr. M.E.B. David, the Secretary of Defence, in theFederal Legislative Council Meeting, announced the decision to expand the Malay Regiment Training Depot. The expansion was to result in the formation of The Malay Regiment Training Center, that was to constitute two additional sections: The Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit (Pre-OCTU) and an inter-racial Boys Company.
The Boys Company was to be part of the Malayan Army, serving the Malay Regiment and the Federation Regiment. The function of the Boys Company was to provide education to sons of serving officers and other ranks in the Malay Regiment, leading to the School Certificate level, coupled with the rudiments of military training.
The first intake of 74 Boys into the Boys Company were recruited in August 1952, from a total of 100 applicants. The ages of the Boys ranged between 14 and 15 years. Their educational qualification, according to a 1952 newspaper bulletin, was to be the equivalent of Standard 4 (English-medium). In addition to these academic requirements those who were shortlisted had to undergo various aptitude tests too.
The college was now to become a seat of learning, as well as a centre for training the nation’s leaders in government service as well as battlefield.
The task of looking after the academic aspects in the Boys Wing was however entrusted to a Director of Studies (DOS) – a civilian Senior Education Officer. He was responsible to the Commandant for carrying out the scholastic policy drawn by the Board of Governors of the College and thus adviser to the Commandant on general educational policies. The DOS had two Senior-Assistants each responsible for the specialist teaching of a group of subjects – called the Head of Science and Mathematics (HOS) and Head of Arts (HOA).
For the purpose of military training, and the co-ordination of domestics military administration required within the Boys Wing, an Officer-in-Charge (O.C.) (later to be known as Chief Instructor - CI) was posted. He was responsible to the Director of Studies (DOS) and thus ultimately to the Commandant.
Furthermore, the emphasis, as is obvious, was not merely in serving the nation in any manner but in the capacity of the boys as leaders. This aspiration is best epitomized in the motto the College adopted – Serve to Lead.
In September 1954, the Commemoration Foundation Day was celebrated in a grand manner. Present to witness the Commemoration Day Parade were the High Commissioner, Sir Donald Macgilivray, His Highness, the Sultan of Selangor, the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, The Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and a large number of dignitaries.
In 1958, reports of a proposed $20 million cantonment, covering an area of 1200 acres, to be located near Sungai Besi (about 10 miles from Kuala Lumpur) began appearing in local press. The entire project, expected to be completed by 1963, was financed by the British Government under the United Kingdom Grants-in-aid Funds. Two hundred acres were allocated for the new Federal Military College.
The site reserved for the College consisted of scenic surroundings. The new home of the FMC was situated on a hill overlooking a disused mining pool. The College buildings were to be modelled on the lines of some of the best military academies overseas. They were to consist of an assembly hall, dormitories, classrooms, a gymnasium, laboratories, some 140 married-quarters for all ranks and civilians employees and numerous playing fields.
On 20 June 1961, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as Supreme Commander of the Malayan Armed Forces, officially opened the new complex. The colourful ceremony was watched by some 1000 guests. In acknowledgment of the immense debt of which the FMC owed the High Commissioner Field Marshal Tun Sir Gerald Templer K.G. GCB GC MG KBE DSO DCL., the Assembly Hall was aptly named Tun Templer Hall (Dewan Tun Templer).
On December 9, 1966, in a ceremony held at the College, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong conferred the 'Royal' title to the FMC. This was a great honour for the College for no other educational institution in the history of this nation has the 'Royal' title bestowed upon it. Hence since 1966, the former Federation Military College came to be known as the Royal Military College.
[edit] Sports
The RMC is known as a strong competitor, both on and off the playing fields. The college has won numerous awards and accolades at all levels of competition and at various sports, most significantly in rugby and hockey. The college also houses a legendary English Debate team, that has won the prestigious Prime Minister's Trophy a record number of times, only to be equalled by its arch-rival on the debating stage, the Tunku Khursiah College. The college also organises a bi-annual multi-games carnival with its rivals, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar. Both colleges take turns to host the competition. Within the college, each student belongs to one of eight Companies. They are Alpha (navy blue), Bravo (yellow), Charlie (green), Delta (red), Echo (black), Foxtrot (maroon), Golf (orange) and Hotel (sky blue). The eight companies compete with each other every year in various activities to be awarded four different trophies: Piala Ali (academic), Piala Murad (military), Piala Halim (field sports) and Piala Razak (other sports). The overall winner is presented the Commandant's Trophy, which is awarded to the winning company at the Annual Passing-out Parade, usually inspected by the Defence Minister of Malaysia. The victorious company will hold the title of Commandant Company.
[edit] Alumni
The alumni association of the RMC is known as the Old Putera Association or OPA.
Throughout the years, RMC has produced many leaders in the military, government and private sectors. Amongst them are
Tan Sri Samsuddin Osman,Chief Secretary to the Government
Dato' Seri Dr Ling Leong Sik,Former Transport Minister & MCA President
Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, Current Home Minister
Mirnawan Nawawi, Former national hockey player
Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam, Business icon
Ramli Ibrahim, Internationally-renowned Indian classical dancer
Jomo Kwame Sundaram, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development
Almost all the former Chiefs of Armed Forces, Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force of Malaysia have been graduates of RMC.
[edit] Past Commandants
1953 - 1955: Lt Col J Mahoney OBE MC
1956 - 1958: Lt Col P A C Don DSO
1959 - 1961: Lt Col R DE L King
1962 - 1964: Lt Col JW Pearson
1965 - 1967: Lt Col DW Grove DSO
1967 - 1968: Col Abdul Jamil Bin Ahmad jssc psc
1969 - 1970: Col Jaafar Bin Dato Onn SMK KMN psc
1971 - 1972: Col Syed Hamzah Bin Syed Abu Bakar JSD KMN PJK psc
1973 - 1974: Col Baharuddin Bin Mohd Diah
1974 - 1977:Col Nik Mahmood Fakharuddin Bin Tan Sri Nik Ahmad Kamil PSK KMN psc
1978 - 1980: Col Murad Bin Haji Jaafar KMN AMP PIS BE(UM) MEIM Eng jssc psc
1981 - 1983: Col Mohamad Bin Munip SMK MIprod E AMIAME psc
1983 - 1985:Col Aboo Samah Bin Aboo Bakar KMN Dip. Pol MBIM AMITD psc
1985 - 1990: Col Abdul Ghani Bin Yunus PAT AMN MA psc
1990 - 1993: Col Hussin Bin Haji Yusoff AMT AMK PIS PJK MA psc
1993 - 1995: Col Haji Yusop Bin Haji Hussin KAT AMN PMC PJK BSoc Sc (Hons) M Ec psc
1995 - 1996: Col Ramli Bin Haji Nik DNS AMT PMC MA (Lancs) PAT psc te
Sept 1996 – Oct 1996: Col Khalid Bin Saad AMN PJK MSM (US) mpat psc
1996 - 1999: Col Ahmad Rodi Bin Zakaria PAT KAT AMN PNBB mpat psc
1999 - 2000: Lt Col Ahmad Ghazali Bin Abu Hassan AMN LLM (Lancs) psc
2000 - 2002: Col Mohd Razif Bin Hj Idris ADK KAT ACM DBS (Mktg) DIM (UKM) mpat psc (Phil)
2002 – present: Col Azizan Bin Md Delin KMN AMK AAP MA (NPS) LL.B (Hons) psc
[edit] References
Royal Military College Official Website Royal Military College Unofficial Website Old Putera Association Official Website
