Armed forces to overhaul reserve pay to spur training and boost manpower

During a passing-out parade in Port Dickson, Chief of Defence Force General Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman said the armed forces will reassess the RM9.80 and RM8 hourly allowances for volunteer reservists, the first adjustment since roughly 2022, to encourage greater participation in regiment-organized training. He highlighted that an estimated 40-50 % of reservists fail to attend call-up training, and that prolonged inactivity leads to removal from the reserve list, weakening the territorial army.

The force aims to achieve a one-to-one ratio between reserve and regular personnel by diversifying training methods, upgrading infrastructure and boosting promotion. Active reservists will earn extra points toward regular-force entry, and Reserve Officers Training Unit graduates will be given priority recruitment and additional academic credits. In a related announcement, the Malaysian Battalion will hand over generators, vehicles and other assets to the Lebanese Armed Forces as the UNIFIL mission ends early next year, with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin citing a total of 292 items valued at about US$10 million. The chief also urged young Malaysians to consider careers in technology, AI and IT to support the armed forces’ modernization.