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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)
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. đđť
Several months ago, I interviewed General Tan Sri (Dr)â Borhan bin Ahmad (Retired): a retired 4 star General & former Chief of Defence Forces in Malaysia - the highest military rank that one can attain.
âď¸ This was the 82-year-old man who had:
- Established Malaysiaâs special forces in the mid-1960s;
- Fought in the Congos, the Vietnam War (escaping days before the fall of Saigon) & Malaysiaâs Undeclared War;
- Swam from Singapore to Johor because the British said that Malaysians could never become Commandos.
And weâre just getting started.Â
I donât want to spoil his epic story, so youâll just have to listen to it yourself!
Highlights:Â
- 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 Whatâs 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 Malaysiaâs Undeclared War
- 27:08 Founding the Malaysian Special Forces
- 26:43 What makes a Commando?
- 27:52 The Generalâs 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?Â
- 41:58 The greatest leader he ever met
- 44:44 Just join the system?Â
- 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-martialÂ
- 50:26 What he thinks of the Malaysian special forces todayÂ
- 54:29 The Generalâs greatest regretÂ
- 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 youâd like to get a copy!
đShow notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/92Â Â Â
đ Like STIMY? Buy us a âď¸?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhyÂ
đ Subscribe to STIMYâs weekly newsletter for exclusive STIMY updates & other interesting people/things Iâve come across during the week: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/ebf231f605
View all episodes
By Ling Yah
5
2121 ratings
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. đđť
Several months ago, I interviewed General Tan Sri (Dr)â Borhan bin Ahmad (Retired): a retired 4 star General & former Chief of Defence Forces in Malaysia - the highest military rank that one can attain.
âď¸ This was the 82-year-old man who had:
- Established Malaysiaâs special forces in the mid-1960s;
- Fought in the Congos, the Vietnam War (escaping days before the fall of Saigon) & Malaysiaâs Undeclared War;
- Swam from Singapore to Johor because the British said that Malaysians could never become Commandos.
And weâre just getting started.Â
I donât want to spoil his epic story, so youâll just have to listen to it yourself!
Highlights:Â
- 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 Whatâs 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 Malaysiaâs Undeclared War
- 27:08 Founding the Malaysian Special Forces
- 26:43 What makes a Commando?
- 27:52 The Generalâs 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?Â
- 41:58 The greatest leader he ever met
- 44:44 Just join the system?Â
- 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-martialÂ
- 50:26 What he thinks of the Malaysian special forces todayÂ
- 54:29 The Generalâs greatest regretÂ
- 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 youâd like to get a copy!
đShow notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/92Â Â Â
đ Like STIMY? Buy us a âď¸?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhyÂ
đ Subscribe to STIMYâs weekly newsletter for exclusive STIMY updates & other interesting people/things Iâve come across during the week: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/ebf231f605
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