So This Is My Why

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)


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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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So This Is My WhyBy Ling Yah

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