Royal Malay Regiment

The Royal Malay Regiment () is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, two battalions are parachute trained and form part of the Malaysian Army Rapid Deployment Force. Another battalion has been converted into a mechanized infantry battalion while the remaining battalions are standard light infantry. The 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment acts as the ceremonial battalion for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and is usually accompanied by the Central Band of the Malay Regiment. As its name suggests, the regiment only recruits ethnic Malays.

History

Beginning in 1902, Malay rulers led by Sultan Alang Iskandar Shah (Sultan of Perak), Tuanku Muhamad Ibni Yam Tuan Antah (Negeri Sembilan), Raja Chulan (Perak Royal Family), and Dato Abdullah Haji Dahan (Undang Luak Rembau) urged the British colonial office to raise an army regiment from the local population. At the time, various British and Indian Army battalions (including the Burma Rifles) provided security for the Malay States.

On 23 November 1932 the British War Office approved the formation of the Malay Regiment as a locally raised regiment of the British Army then on 23 January 1933, the Federal Consultative Council passed the Malay Regiment Act as Act No. 11. Funding of $70,000 was also approved for the purchase of the Kong Sang Rubber Estate in Port Dickson for use as the Recruit Training Centre.

The regiment...
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