ROYAL Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief Gen Affendi Buang has been appointed the 21st Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) chief, effective today.

The appointment of Affendi was witnessed by Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in a handover ceremony for the number one army post, at Wisma Pertahanan, Kuala Lumpur, today.

Affendi replaces Gen Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, who retired today.

Zulkifli, 61, was born in Port Weld (now known as Kuala Sepetang), Perak began service on January 30, 1978 with the Royal Malay Regiment.

He was appointed 20th MAF chief on June 20, 2018, taking over from Gen Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.

Affendi, 57, had served as RMAF chief since December 21, 2016.

Until now, since 2011, the MAF chief post had been filled by the top army officer. The last time an RMAF chief took the MAF chief post was in 2009 via Azizan Ariffin while in 2005 the navy chief was appointed to head MAF through Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor.

Chief Secretary to the Government, Mohd Zuki Ali, army chief Gen Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi and RMN chief Admiral Mohd Reza Mohd Sany.

Affendi, who was born on August 21, 1962 in Kuching, was the second air force chief to be made MAF chief after Gen Azizan Ariffin.

He received his early education in his home state before furthering his studies at the Royal Military College in Sungai Besi, where he obtained his Malaysian Certificate of Examination (MCE) in 1979.

After that, Affendi joined the Armed Forces as RMAF cadet officer in 1980 and received his basic training at the Cadet Officer School in Sebatang Kara, Port Dickson followed by basic flying training at the Alor Setar RMAF before he was commissioned RMAF second lieutenant in 1982.

He was later assigned to the No. 3 Flying Training Centre in RMAF Kuantan.
It was the starting point of his career as a fighter jet pilot and he progressed to operation training with the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk in the No. 9 Squadron in October 1984. – Bernama, January 2, 2020.