Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja
Royal Army Engineers Regiment (Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja) is a group combat support military units of the Malaysian Army that provides combat engineering and other engineering support to the Malaysian Army.
Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja Royal Army Engineers Regiment | |
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Active | 22 April 1953 |
Country | Malaysia |
Allegiance | Malaysian Armed Forces |
Branch | Malaysian Army |
Type | Military engineering |
Garrison/HQ | Camp Sangro, Taiping, Perak "Home of the Engineers" |
Nickname(s) | RAJD |
Motto(s) | Ubique (Latin: Everywhere) Berusaha Berfaedah (Malay: Strive and Benefit) |
Commanders | |
Colonel-in-Chief | Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfurlah, Paduka Seri Sultan of Perak |
History
Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja was founded on 22 April 1953 at Balaclava Lines Kluang Garrison Johor, after the first recruitment of 37 people was made at the Recruitment Training Center in Port Dickson.
On 1 January 1954, 76 Federal Field Squadron was formed at Balaclava Lines Kluang Garrison. This is the first unit for Federation Engineers. In March 1954 Major I.G Wellsted RE began the formation of Federal Field Squadron. On 1 September 1954, 16 SNCO was transferred from the Royal Engineers to 76 Federal Field Squadron and WO II Yusak bin Hj Omar became the first SSM.
On 15 July 1957, 2 Engineer Squadron was formed with 201 officers and men transferred from 75 Malayan Field Squadron including Lt Asmit bin Mohd Said (400058). 76 Federal Field Squadron, Federation Engineers was redesignated as 1 Engineer Squadron.
On the same day, The Federation Army formed the Engineer Branch at the Riffle Range Road Kuala Lumpur and Lt Colonel RA Blakeway, OBE, was made the first Chief of Engineers. The branch is now known the Engineer Directorate at the Malaysian Army HQ and 10 Engineer Training Detachment was formed at Kluang Garrison Johor. The unit is now known the Army Institute of Field Engineering (Institut Kejuruteraan Medan TD).
On 1 March 1962, 40 Port Operations (AW) and 50 Rail Operations (AW) was officially raised. 21 Engineers (AW) and 22 Engineers (AW) are set up in Kajang and Kluang respectively. This unit is the earliest Engineers units (AW).
On 16 Sept 1963, 3 Engineer Squadron was formed at Sangro Camp. 6 officer including Captain Chang Yew Kuan and Lt Kailas Chindambaram and 179 out of total of 205 other ranks transferred from 75 Malayan Field Squadron to 3 Engineer Squadron. 75 Malayan was disbanded on 15 Sept 1963.
10 Engineer Training Detachment upgraded to Engineer Training Squadron on 1 January 1964, to undertake the training of combat engineers. On 21 Dis 1970, the squadron upgraded to 10 Engineer Training Regiment, and now known as the Army Institute of Field Engineering or Institut Kejuruteraan Medan TD (IKEM).
Rejimen Askar Jurutera was bestowed the title “Royal” on 6 June 1992.
Role and responsibilities
In wartime, Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja is tasked with ensuring the ease and speed of mobility of friendly units by
- building roads, and other transport infrastructure, including bridges.
- building, repairs and maintenance of airstrips and landing zones
- Assault bridging
- Overcoming riverine obstacles
- Clearing of obstacles, minefields and booby traps
- provide shelter, water supply and build camps
Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja is also tasked to delay the advance of enemy forces by placing hindrances and obstacles
- laying road obstacles, minefields, abatises (defensive obstacle made by laying felled trees on top of each other)
- construction of camouflaged hides, bunkers and tank dugouts.
In times of peace, Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja assisted civilian authorities in handling of key ports and transport nodes, and provide heavy equipment to civil authorities during disasters.
Colonel-in-Chief and Motto
The present Colonel-in-Chief is Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfurlah, the present Sultan of Perak.
The motto of Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja is “BERUSAHA BERFAEDAH”.
The regimental flag has horizontal bars of red, blue and yellow. The blue represents the renowned “Sapper Blue” colour used on Engineer tactical signs. Yellow represents the Malaysian Monarch and Red represent the sacrifices of the Regiment.
Organisation
Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja currently has the following units
Regular Army
- 3 Field Regiments.
- 7 combat Engineer Squadrons
- 3 Support Engineer Squadron
- 1 Construction Regiment
- 1 Parachute Engineer Squadron
- 1 Engineer Squadron (Armoured)
- 1 Engineer Squadron (Mechanised)
- 1 Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) - Putrajaya
Reserves
- 1 Field Regiment (Rejimen Askar Wataniah)
- 4 Field Squadrons (Rejimen Askar Wataniah)
- 1 Field Regiment (Maintenance and Communications) (Rejimen Askar Wataniah)
- 4 Expert Handling Regiments (Rejimen Askar Wataniah).
- Port
- Railway
- Water
- Power Plants
- Telecommunication Infrastructure
- 4 Expert Handling Regiments (Rejimen Askar Wataniah).
Institut Kejuruteraan Medan (IKEM) (Field Engineering Institute)
Institut Kejuruteraan Medan (IKEM) handles all training requirements of Rejimen Askar Jurutera DiRaja, specifically the training of the combat engineer. Combat engineer training is also made available to Army personnel from other regiments. The Commandant of the Institute is a Lt Colonel.by 11.
Rejimen Pengendalian Pakar (Rejimen Askar Wataniah)
Rejimen Pengendalian Pakar (Rejimen Askar Wataniah) and the Skuadron Jurutera Medan Pakar (Rejimen Askar Wataniah) are volunteer reserve regiments and squadrons of the Rejimen Askar Wataniah. These units specialise in the handling of ports, waterworks, railway, power plant/electric supply or telecommunications.
Jabatanarah Perumahan dan Pembinaan
Jabatanarah Perumahan dan Pembinaan oversees the building of housing for Armed Forces Personnel as well as oversee the building of Army installations. The Directorate is headed by a Brigadier General and assisted by officers from the Pegawai Tugas Ikhtisas (Professionally Accredited) officers as well as line officers of Rejimen Askar Jurutera Diraja (RAJD.
Bahagian Geospatial Pertahanan (Defence Geospatial Division)
"Bahagian Geospatial Pertahanan" is based at the Malaysian Survey and Mapping Department (Jabatan Ukur dan Pemetaan) with the primary role of meeting the mapping requirements of the Malaysian Army. The Defence Geospatial Division is headed by a Brigedier General.