KUALA LUMPUR: "Do you want our soldiers to be pondan (sissies)?"

Datuk Abdul Rahim Dahalan says special forces all over the world undergo rigorous training.

This was the reaction of Malaysia Veteran Commandos Club (Federal Territory division) adviser Datuk Abdul Rahim Dahalan to allegations that soldiers were tortured during commando training.

He defended the methods used to train commandos, saying that Macang Member of Parliament Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's exposure of a two-minute video clip at the Parliament lobby on Thursday, purportedly showing commando trainees being brutalised, was politically-motivated.

"The philosophy, objective and aim of the training is to produce the best commandos who will do whatever is necessary in all conditions to defend the country.

"The training conducted boils down to physical, mental and spiritual strength. All three elements are included in the three-month basic commando training course," Abdul Rahim said at a hotel in Ampang yesterday.
He said the matter should not be raised at all as special forces all over the world also undergo such rigorous training.

Abdul Rahim, who served as a commando between 1969 and 1980, said only qualified soldiers who have undergone the mandatory six-month basic military training could apply to be trainee commandos.

"I can say, from my experience, that almost 50 per cent of recruits drop out during the first week of training.

"The pass rate is only 30 per cent at most. From that small group, they will be picked to join either the air, land or sea divisions."

Abdul Rahim said the clip merely gave a glimpse of the basic commando training, which is only the first stage in a long journey to qualify as a commando.

"What was published in the newspapers is basic, a kindergarten for commandos. It's 100 per cent more," he said, adding that commandos were volunteers who were aware of the severe training which they had to go through, and of its consequences.

"During my time as a commando, it was normal to kayak from Mersing all the way to Tioman, regardless of the weather conditions.

"These people are trained for all eventualities. They are the best among the armed forces."

The army commando unit was formed in 1965 by then Defence Minister Tun Abdul Razak during the Confrontation.

There were talks of dissolving the commando unit after 1965 but its effectiveness in handling the Confrontation ensured that the unit remained until today.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Navy later began their own commando units, which are called Paskau and Paskal respectively.