September 19, 2022

Ep 92: Life of a 4 Star General Who Founded the Malaysian Special Forces | General Tan Sri (Dr) Borhan bin Ahmad (former Chief of Defence Forces, Malaysia)

59 minutes

How do you get a Deputy Prime Minister* to give you RM 500 million (USD 105M)?

By having the guts & conviction of a Tiger General. 👇🏻

Several months ago, I interviewed General Tan Sri (Dr)’ Borhan bin Ahmad (Retired): a retired 4 star General & former Chief of Defence Forces in Malaysia - the highest military rank that one can attain.

⚔️ This was the 82-year-old man who had:

Established Malaysia’s special forces in the mid-1960s;
Fought in the Congos, the Vietnam War (escaping days before the fall of Saigon) & Malaysia’s Undeclared War;
Swam from Singapore to Johor because the British said that Malaysians could never become Commandos.

And we’re just getting started.

I don’t want to spoil his epic story, so you’ll just have to listen to it yourself!

Highlights:

1:43 Growing up under Japanese occupation
3:54 Pretending he had died
5:29 Running away to military school
6:27 Military life
7:41 Swimming through shark-infested waters from Pangkor Laut to Pulau Pangkor
8:56 Swimming from Singapore to Johor to prove that the Malaysians could be Commandos too (to the British)
9:51 Almost studying medicine
11:59 Being transformed into a professional soldier
12:49 Military strategies he learned
15:40 What’s it like to kill someone?
16:12 Was the General ever afraid of death?
17:40 Be cruel in order to be kind
18:28 What makes a good officer?
19:51 Fighting in the Congos
23:18 Fighting in Malaysia’s Undeclared War
27:08 Founding the Malaysian Special Forces
26:43 What makes a Commando?
27:52 The General’s toughest operation
30:49 A father + 3 sons
32:36 Fighting in the Vietnam War
38:43 Giving up the Green Beret
41:05 What is your leadership style?
41:58 The greatest leader he ever met
44:44 Just join the system?
45:56 His greatest achievement as the Chief of Defence Forces
47:00 Finding a treasure trove of oysters + getting Anuar to give him RM 500 million!
49:02 Being threatened with court-martial
50:26 What he thinks of the Malaysian special forces today
54:29 The General’s greatest regret
55:35 Advice for those who want to be Commandos

Special thanks to Lt Col Assoc Prof Dr. Ananthan (Retired), National Defence University of Malaysia, for making this interview possible.

P/S: The General has his own book out. DM me if you’d like to get a copy!

📍Show notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/92

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By Ling Yah

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