King confers 549 armed forces warrior awards

KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V today conferred the Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (PGAT) award on Army chief General Tan Sri Zulkiple Kassim.
Zulkiple headed a list of 549 recipients at the 2017 Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) Warrior Awards presentation ceremony at Istana Negara here.
His Majesty, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, also awarded the PGAT on Air Force chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang apart from the honorary PGAT on seven recipients from foreign countries.
They are Chief of the Defence Force, Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin; Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, General Eduardo M Ano; Chief of the Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Perry Lim; Chief of the Defence Force, Royal Thai Armed Forces General Surapong Sawana-ath; Former Chief of the Defence Force, Royal Thai Armed Forces, General Sommai Kaotira; Indonesian Armed Forces Army Chief of Staff, General Mulyono and Chief of Naval Staff, Pakistan Navy, Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah NI (M).
Also present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharom; Defence Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi; Malaysian Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor and Chief of Navy, Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin.
At the ceremony, Sultan Muhammad V also awarded the Panglima Setia Angkatan Tentera (PSAT) award on 14 recipients, honorary PSAT (one recipient), Pahlawan Angkatan Tentera (44 recipients), Kesatria Angkatan Tentera (232 recipients) and Bentara Angkatan Tentera (249 recipients). — Bernama