Armed Forces' role in facing COVID-19 documented in 'Nation Call' book

PUTRAJAYA: The active role of 20 senior officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) in assisting the National Security Council (MKN) after the country implemented the Movement Control Order (MCO) following the COVID-19 pandemic can be read in the book 'Nation Call - Kompilasi Laporan Penugasan Pandemik COVID-19’ launched yesterday.

Chief of Defence Force, General Tan Sri Affendi Buang said the 20 senior ATM officers who acted as a "think tank" also worked with 22 relevant government agencies to find solutions and steps to be taken by the government in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ATM contributions include contact tracing, human movement patterns in COVID-19 areas and developing situational awareness, he said.

"They collaborated in forming the Joint Common Operational Picture (J-COP) to share information to assist in the process of making critical decisions.

"All these efforts are implemented responsibly and professionally until they successfully propose solution options for consideration and approved by the government," he said when launching the book, here yesterday.

Affendi said the 20 senior officers, comprising officers of the rank of Brigadier General and Colonel or equivalent, were participants in the first series of Kursus Ketahanan Nasional 2020 (KKN 2020) course which started on Sept 3, 2019 and officially ended today.

"Participants not only successfully completed the course but served the country well," he said.

At the closing ceremony of KKN 2020 at the National Defence Education Centre (Puspahanas) here, Affendi presented certificates to the 20 senior officers of the ATM who are also KKN 2020 participants including the author of the book, Brig. Gen Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid.

Mohd Radzi said, the ATM team was involved in drafting most of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the ministries and the implementation of various levels of MCO.

"We also proposed that the government set up an economic stabilisation fund and provide the people with an understanding of new norms that are a far cry from the lifestyle before COVID-19," he said.

Brig. Gen Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar from the Malaysian Army (TDM) was named the recipient of the KKN award.

The rest were Brig. Gen Datuk Arman Rumaizi Ahmad, Brig. Gen Datuk Mohammed Feizol Anuar Ayob, Brig. Gen Dr Mohd Zambri Mohamad Rabab, Brig. Gen Datuk Ahmad Saifuddin Talha, Brig. Gen Azelan Abu Bakar, Brig. Gen Azman @ Norazman Selamat, Colonel Saiful Bahari Zainol, Colonel Mohd Zaki Abu, Colonel Mohd Azmurin Mat Khalib and Colonel Mohd Razali Alias.

Four personnel from the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) who also received the KKN award were First Admiral Chan Peng Cheong, Captain Farizal Myeor, Captain Shahriman Mahmud and Captain Dr Hisyam Harun.

As for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM), the recipients, all pilots, were Colonel Hamidi Hashim, Colonel Koey Tang Chai, Colonel Hasnol Hisham Abu Hassan and Colonel Mohd Najib Saad.

At the same ceremony, Affendi also witnessed the handover of duties ceremony of Puspahanas President from Admiral Datuk Ganesh Navaratnam, who will be on leave from tomorrow before retiring on April 26, 2021, to the new Puspahanas President, Lieutenant General Datuk Md Yusof Aziz.

-- BERNAMA