Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy comprising 13 states and 3 federal territories.
Out of the 13 states, 9 of the states have a Sultan each.
Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak do not have any Sultan.
Now you may be wondering, "With so many Sultans, how does it work?"
Every 5 years,
a Sultan of a particular state would be elected as Yang di-Pertuan Agong
by the Conference of Rulers comprising the 9 Sultans.
In other words, he is the King of Malaysia.
However, there is 1 Sultan who is a little bit different from the rest.
The Sultan of Johor has its own private army known as the Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri Johor,
Johor Military Forces based in Sultan Ibrahim Camp.
Established in 1886, it is the oldest military in Malaysia.
In comparison, the Malay States Volunteer Rifles was formed in 1915
and the Malaysian Army was formed in 1933.
There were a few changes to the Johor Military Forces throughout history.
This force was initially a police guard force
tasked to protect the Sultan of Johor and the Istana (Palace).
Subsequently, it evolved into a military force consisting of infantry forces,
artillery forces and even a military band.
The Johor Military Forces of today has 4 sub-units.
The Istana Guards is an infantry unit comprising 8 platoons.
They are responsible for guarding royal palaces around Johor
such as Istana Bukit Serene,
Istana Besar,
Istana Pasir Pelangi,
Istana Bukit Pelangi
and other JMF military installations.
The JMF administrations unit is responsible for all administrative work
as well as the training of recruits.
The JMF marching band is a ceremonial unit
involved in all ceremonial events relating to the Sultan of Johor.
The JMF Elite Forces was established in 2008.
They are responsible for the close protection of the Royal Family of Johor.
They are also trained in counter-terrorism and special reconnaissance.
This unit only recruits its members from the Istana Guards.
Every year, JMF staff will visit each district in Johor to recruit potential trainees.
The JMF only accepts Malaysians born in Johor between 18 to 23 years old.
Candidates must be at least 168 cm in height and weigh 47.5 kg.
For the day, candidates will undergo a series of physical tests.
Priorities will be given to candidates who can read or write Jawi.
This is because all official JMF reports are written in Jawi.
Successful candidates will proceed to Sultan Ibrahim Camp for another series of physical tests
such as running 2.4 km under 14 minutes
as well as character and behavioral tests.
50% of the candidates will be dropped out during this stage.
JMF recruits undergo a 6-month-long basic training
where they will learn basic infantry and soldier skills
Additionally, they will also undergo protocol training such as how to interact with Royals
as well as learning the Jawi script.
Selected JMF soldiers will go on to receive advanced training with the Malaysian Army.
The JMF Elite Forces conducts its selection internally.
The selection includes a series of physical challenges,
a 30-kilometer run
and a 30-kilometer fast march with combat load.
The attrition rate is 90%.
Successful candidates will undergo a 3-month-long basic commando training with the Malaysian Army.
Subsequently, they will also receive advanced training, attending respective
special forces specialist courses conducted by the Special Warfare Training Centre.
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