KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Abdul Rahman Ayob has been appointed as the Royal Malaysian Navy's 18th admiral, replacing Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany who will be retiring.
The Navy's Strategic Communications Division, announcing the appointment today, said Abdul Rahman, who was former Navy vice-chief, is the first submarine officer to helm the Navy.
The official appointment and handover of duties ceremony was officiated by Armed Forces Chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang and the Defence Ministry's Chief Secretary, Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz.
Abdul Rahman was born in Johor Bahru on Dec 2, 1964. He joined the Navy on July 2, 1982 and was certified on June 13, 1984.
Among the positions he held throughout his service included commander of the Submarine Force, deputy mission chief for the Mindanao, Philippines International Observation Team, admiral of Sea Territory 2, admiral of the East Armada and deputy Navy chief in 2019.
His career as a submariner began in 1993 when he obtained his submarine specialist badge after completing his training on the HMAS Platypus in Australia.
Abdul Rahman then conducted Submarine Familiarisation Training in Sweden in 1995 and in France in 1999. He then completed the AGOSTA-class submarine basic training in 2006 in France.
Abdul Rahman is also active in tennis and golf, having represented the Navy in the Inter-Services Sports in 2022 in tennis, in which the Navy emerged victorious.
The Strategic Communications Division, in its statement, also extended its thanks to Mohd Reza for his service.
"The Navy extends its congratulations to Mohd Reza for his 42-year service, especially during his tenure as the Navy chief, which began on November 30, 2018.
"Despite the various challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, he continued his tireless efforts to modernise the Royal Malaysian Navy's fleet.
"He and the senior management of the Navy and Armed Forces remained resolute in looking for solutions to ensure that the Navy's level of readiness remained at an optimum level, and upheld his duties to protect the sovereignty of the country's maritime borders," read the statement.