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 Malaysian
SOF consists of Grup Gerak Khas
(GGK), Pasukan Khas Laut (Paskal), VAT
69 and Unit Tindakan
Khas (UTK). Malaysia also has
an elite Rapid Deployment Force (a size
of a Brigade) called Pasukan Aturgerak
Cepat (PAC), but it was not considered
as a Special Operations unit.
GGK
is the largest SOF element in Malaysia.
It is basically a commando regiment in
the Malaysian Army Corps. The mission
of the GGK is to provide
a squadron to locate, report, harass and
disrupt the enemy through long range infiltration
as well as operating in close collaboration
with guerilla or partisan forces. GGK
will also plan, prepare for, and when
directed, deploy to conduct unconventional
warfare, internal defense, special reconnaissance
and direct actions etc. in support of
Government policy objectives within designated
areas of responsibility.
GGK
continually train to conduct unconventional
warfare in any of its forms - Guerilla
/ Anti-Guerilla Warfare, Escape and Evasion,
Subversion, Sabotage, Counter Terrorist
and their most highly regarded expertise
- Jungle Warfare. It has an awesome reputation
in operations against the communist terrorists.
The troopers are also schooled in direct
action operations and special reconnaissance.
Currently, there are 3 fully equipped
regiments (21st, 22nd & 11st GGK).
GGK had
seen action in Cambodia, Somalia, western
Sahara, Namibia and Bosnia among others.
The Royal
Malaysian Navy set up its sea commando
unit called Special Naval Force
or Paskal by its Malay
acronym in 1980. The unit was established
using commando-trained officers and men
from the services Security Regiment. Some
of its personnel are stationed in man-made
'islands' in the Spratlys and in strategic
areas within the country's Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ). Paskal is
equipped with the latest hi-tech weaponry
as their operations is partly supported
by a group of oil consortium (one of the
Paskal's main missions is to protect oil
rigs in the Malaysian coastal area).
In those
days of communist insurgency, Malaysian
police had a paramilitary arm called Pasukan
Polis Hutan (PPH). They had several battalions
and among them was the elite one, known
as 69th Commando Battalion
or VAT 69. It was actually
formed in 1969 (hence the name - 69).
The normal police too had an elite unit
- Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK).
UTK had a SWAT-like function
as well as close protection roles. After
the communist terrorist laid down arms
in 1989, VAT 69 had problems
finding a proper role. Finally on December
1997, the PPH was renamed as Pasukan Gerakan
Am (PGA) while UTK and
69th Commando Battalion
was disbanded and merged. It was then
called Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK).
The Royal
Malaysian Air Force once had a commando
unit codenamed Handau
or (maybe) Pasukan Khas TUDM.
Officially, Handau is
not recognized as an SOF unit by the Malaysian
Armed Forces. The tentative "special
forces" designation is probably due
to the unit's airborne capability. Some
GGK members were also
roped in to join Handau at its formation.
Lately, the RMAF had formed a regiment
called the Regimen TUDM
containing Handau as
well as the CART (Combat Air Rescue
Team). The purpose of Regimen
TUDM is to conduct combat search
and rescue mission (CSAR) to recover downed
pilots behind enemy lines or hostile territory,
but they are much more popular with life-saving
services to the civilians (courtesy flights
etc.). Other than that, Regimen
TUDM may also search and eliminate
enemy troops who execute sabotage against
RMAF
air bases.
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