Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali

Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali
Chief of Defence Forces
In office
6 October 1987 – 11 April 1992
Preceded byMohd Ghazali Che Mat
Succeeded byYaacob Mohd Zain
Chief of Army
In office
1 November 1985 – 6 October 1987
Personal details
Born(1937-04-10)10 April 1937
Died1 October 2025(2025-10-01) (aged 88)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting placeRaudhatul Sakinah Islam Cemetery, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur
SpouseMajmin Yahaya[1]
Relations
Children3
Military service
Allegiance Malaysia
Branch Malaysian Army
Service years1957–1992
Rank General
Conflicts

Mohamed Hashim bin Mohd Ali (10 April 1937 – 1 October 2025) was a Malaysian military officer who served as the Chief of Defence Forces from 1987 to 1992, and as the Chief of Army from 1985 to 1987. He was the brother of Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Background

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Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali was born on 10 April 1937 at Ipoh, Perak to Mohd Ali Mohd Taib and Khalijah Ahmad, ethnic Malay parents of Minangkabau descent from Klang, Selangor with ancestral roots in Rao Mapat Tunggul, West Sumatra, Indonesia. He was the youngest child of his parents.

Soon after finishing primary school, he enrolled in Institut Victoria, Kuala Lumpur from 1949 to 1955. Whilst schooling there, he was the captain of the hockey team and also represented the school in swimming events.

Military career

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Hashim Mohd Ali entered the military as a career. He became a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst around 1955 to 1957. In December 1957, he was commissioned as a junior officer in the Royal Malay Regiment and was assigned the duty of the 3rd battalion.

He was also the commanding officer of the 5th Royal Malay Regiment while on duty in Sarawak. After being appointed Brigadier General, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Rejang Area Security Command or RASCOM in Sarawak, where he managed to help restore peace and security and stability in the area.

In 1980, after attending a course at the National Defence College, India, he was appointed Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defence in the rank of a Major General.

In 1982, he took over the charge of the Second Infantry Division based in Penang Island. In carrying out his duties as the Commanding Officer of the division, he established a close relationship with the Chief of Command of Region 4, Royal Thai Army. As a result of the close relationship and increased cooperation between the two sides, the military pressure given has crippled the ability of the Communist terrorists to carry out their armed rebellion until finally signing the peace agreement of Hat Yai in 1989.

After relinquishing his duties as the commanding officer of the 2nd Division Regiment, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army in 1984.

In November 1985, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Army. In October 1987, he took over the position of Chief of Defence Forces until his retirement in April 1992 upon turning 55 years old, after serving for 35 years in the armed forces. General Hashim was the signatory of the Hat Yai Peace Agreement on behalf of the Malaysian Government in his duties as Chief of Defense Forces.

After retirement

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After retirement, Hashim was appointed a director in several companies listed on Bursa Kuala Lumpur.

Hashim was appointed chief executive officer and chairman of SUKOM Ninety Eight Berhad, a company established by the Government of Malaysia to organize and manage the XVI Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur which was held from 11 to 21 September 1998.

Personal life and death

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Hashim Mohd Ali was the youngest among his siblings, which included:

Hashim died from a stroke in Kuala Lumpur, on 1 October 2025, at the age of 88.[2] He was buried at Raudhatul Sakinah Cemetery, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.[3]

Honours

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Honours of Malaysia

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Foreign honours

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References

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  1. ^ "Menempoh penghidupan baru yang beragam". Berita Harian (in Malay). 12 December 1961. p. 2.
  2. ^ Zack, Justin. "Former chief of defence forces Tun Mohamed Hashim passes away". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Former Defence Chief Tun Mohamed Hashim Laid To Rest". BERNAMA. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Former military chief made a 'Tun', 18 get 'Tan Sri' title". The Star.com. 7 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan tahun 1988" (PDF) (in Malay).
  6. ^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan tahun 1987" (PDF) (in Malay).
  7. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1977" (PDF). www.istiadat.gov.my.
  8. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1971" (PDF). www.istiadat.gov.my.
  9. ^ "Senarai Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1962" (PDF). www.istiadat.gov.my.
  10. ^ "Award for soldier who lost his leg". New Straits Times. 18 September 1986. p. 10.
  11. ^ "DHMS 1991".
  12. ^ "Sultanah's mother heads list of Kedah award recipients". New Straits Times. 20 January 1991. p. 3.
  13. ^ "DSDK 1985".
  14. ^ "SPTS 1986". pingat.perak.gov.my.
  15. ^ "Fadillah dahului senarai penerima pingat 60 Tahun Sarawak Merdeka" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  16. ^ "SPMS 1989".
  17. ^ "DPMS 1981".
  18. ^ "Forces chief gets award". New Straits Times. 17 July 1991. p. 2.
  19. ^ "Malaysia, Indonesia sign defence accord". New Straits Times. 18 February 1992. p. 6.