A QUIET and unassuming kampung boy from Kuching, Sarawak, has secured many feats over the last 40 years - from a brilliant schoolboy to one of the nation’s top jet fighter pilots.
But, the biggest achievement of General Tan Sri Affendi Buang, 57, was when he was appointed as the Malaysian Armed Forces chief recently.
Better known in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) as ‘Apai’ - a name given to the famous Iban warrior Rentap, who defended his fort against the White Rajah in Bukit Sadok, Betong, 160 years ago - he is an acclaimed fighter pilot and founder of the RMAF’s MiG-29 tactical aerobatics team popularly known as the Smokey Bandits.
He became Sarawak’s first air force commander at 54, when he received his fourth star after taking over from his predecessor, General Roslan Saad, on Dec 16, 2016.
A veteran, he is among a handful of RMAF officers who received the Pingat Tentera Udara (PTU) for their outstanding skills as a jet pilot. Born on Aug 21, 1962, Affendi was a studious lad from Kampung Lintang, who excelled in his studies at Tun Openg Secondary School.
Even though he passed his Cambridge Lower School Certificate in 1977 with flying colours, little did his parents or teachers expected the small but tough Affendi to have big dreams.
An all-rounder and sportsman, he was selected to further his secondary education at the Royal Military College in Sungai Besi, where he completed his Malaysian Certificate of Examination in 1979.
It was then that he decided to make a career in the armed forces, and as fate would have it, he joined the RMAF.
After joining RMAF as an officer cadet in 1980, he received his basic training at the Officer Cadet School in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.
A year later, however, the Lower Six science stream student decided to give up the idea of becoming an academician after he was sent for basic flight training at the RMAF base in Alor Star, Kedah.
In 1982, after being commissioned as an officer, he was posted to No. 3 Flying Training Centre at the RMAF base in Kuantan, Pahang, for his initial jet conversion in the Aermacchi MB-339 military jet trainer and light attack aircraft.
From then on, his career as a fighter pilot took off with his subsequent ‘operational conversion’ on the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk in October 1984, followed by his first operational tour on the jet fighter in June 1985.
During Affendi’s illustrious career, he led the Smokey Bandits and his ‘derring-do’ attitude earned him the nickname Apai.
At a young age of 26, in recognition of his knowledge, skill and attitude, he was made an instructor pilot on the Skyhawk.
He was chosen to be among the elite officers for the RMAF’s MiG-29 Project Team in 1994, which later became the MiG-29 RMAF Technical Team in Russia.
Together with former RMAF chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud and Lieutenant-General Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad, he was among the pioneer cadres responsible for the knowledge transfer process in building up the RMAF’s MiG-29 operational capabilities.
During the late 1980s, before the surrender of the Communist Party of Malaya and the signing of an accord with the Sarawak-based North Kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP), Affendi was involved in missions against the communist guerillas.
He was promoted as Staff Officer 1 Fighter Operations in 2002 and made responsible for the overall operational readiness and competency of the RMAF fighter aircrew.
In 2009, Affendi was promoted to brigadier-general and appointed director-general of operations and exercise at the RMAF Air Operations Command until the end of 2010.
He was only 48. After a one-year course in the United Kingdom, he returned home and resumed his role at the RMAF Air Operations Command.
He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in July 2014, when he was appointed as the Joint Force Commander for his second tour at the Joint Force Headquarters.
At the end of the same year, he was chief of air operations for 12 months before becoming the deputy chief of RMAF in 2015.
On Dec 21, 2016, Affendi became the 18th RMAF chief.
When he took up the position, he was quoted as saying: ‘As a career soldier, it is essential to continue to acquire knowledge as it is the key to improving competency as well as proficiency to upgrade oneself.’
Apart from flying, he attended the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College in 1997 and the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies (CDSS) Australia in 2005.
Affendi also obtained a Masters of Art (Strategic Studies) from Deakin University in Australia, as well as upgrading his defence studies knowledge at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London.
He has received numerous awards from the late Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, and Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who bestowed on him the ‘Tan Sri’ title.
Married to the elder sister of the current king, the humble general and his social-activist wife, Tengku Puteri Seri Teja Pahang Tengku Datuk Muhaini Sultan Ahmad Shah, often return to Kuching to meet family and friends.A keen golfer, Affendi is also an avid reader.
As the chief of Malaysia’s armed forces, he will play the role of making the country a safer place and ensure that our security forces will carry out their responsibilities with discipline and respect for king and country.
(Note: The Brooke Rajah launched three major "War" expeditions in 1856, 1857 and 1861 before he finally captured the Sadok Fort)
Together with 4,000 soldiers and with the use of a massive cannon nicknamed "Bujang Sadok" found that the fort was defended by only 28 men.
Rentap who was aged about 60, managed to escape and took refuge among his followers at Ulu Julau. He was never captured and vowed never to surrender.
After he died, his remains were interred in traditional Iban mausoleum called a Lumbong on the top of Bukit Sibau in Ulu Wak.
The Royal Malaysian Rangers have adopted Rentap’s war cry: Agi Idupo Agi Ngelaban, which means: ‘As long as I breathe, I will fight to the end.’
The writer, from the New Sarawak Tribune, is of mixed ancestry and has been writing about the state since the early 70s