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.


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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