Zulkifli Zainal Abidin new chief of defence forces

He takes over from Raja Affandi, who has retired.

Zulkifli had once served as a senior instructor at the New Zealand Army Infantry School for two years where he was tasked with educating army officers from New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries on weaponry, tactical studies and counter-insurgency warfare. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin has been appointed the chief of defence forces, succeeding Gen Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor effective today.

Zulkifli, 59, officially assumed his duties from Raja Affandi, who went on mandatory retirement, during a handover ceremony witnessed by Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu.

Zulkifli had served as the army chief in 2011 before being appointed the vice-chancellor of the National Defence University of Malaysia in 2013.

Born in Port Weld (Kuala Sepatang now), Taiping, Perak, Zulkifli began service with the armed forces on Jan 30, 1978, by joining the Royal Malay Regiment.

He served as a senior instructor at the New Zealand Army Infantry School for two years where he was tasked with educating army officers from New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries on weaponry, tactical studies and counter-insurgency warfare.

He also served as a lecturer in management at the Army Management Training Centre from 1992 to 1993.

Zulkifli holds a Master’s in Management from the Asian Institute of Management and has attended various management courses, including a senior management development programme, at the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. -FMT