JMF ESTABLISHMENT

At the outbreak of the WW l in 1914, the JMF had 576 men and 86 Kabul artillerymen. As Colonel Commandant, Sultan Ibrahim deployed officers and men of the JMF to be stationed and performed duties at Woodlands, Keranji, Seletar, St. John’s Island and Belakang Mati Island in Singapore.

On February 15, 1915, together with India’s Fifth Light Infantry, 199 strong JMF men under the command of Captain Cullimore performed guard duties at Tanglin Barracks, where German citizens were held. Eight hundred Sepoys (Muslim soldiers of the Indian Army) mutinied as they were under the impression they would be sent to Europe and Turkey to fight Muslim soldiers there. But the discipline and bravery of the JMF, despite running low on ammunition, thwarted the mutiny. Unfortunately, Cullimore, Captain Abdul Jabbar bin Abdul Samad, and Private Yaacob bin Salleh were killed in the skirmish. When alerted the following day, Sultan Ibrahim led 150 men to Fort Canning after receiving news the mutineers would attack the British garrison there. The attack never materialised. Instead, the mutineers had made their way into Johor. Sultan Ibrahim and his men rushed back to Johor in hot pursuit of the mutineers. The JMF captured 180 mutineers, who were then escorted to the JMF headquarters, where they surrendered by placing their rifles, ammunition and bayonets at the feet of the unarmed Sultan Ibrahim and kissed his hand.

At the outbreak of WW ll, the JMF had 2000 men, making Sultan Ibrahim the head of the largest armed forces in Malaya. On the advice of the Johor government, Sultan Ibrahim assumed the rank of Major General of the expanded forces. Sultan Ibrahim and Major General Gordon Bennett of the Australian Imperial Forces planned a defensive strategy by deploying the JMF and Australian troops to defend the Kluang-Kahang-Mersing-Kota Tinggi line and to cover the airstrips at Tanjung Labuh and Kahang.

On 6th January 1942, two battalions of four companies of the JMF under the command of Lt. Colonel Musa bin Yusof were tasked to relieve Australian forces guarding communications installations at Kota Tinggi and establish a defence line along the river. When the Japanese bombed Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi two weeks later, the GOC advised Sultan Ibrahim to disband the JMF as the Japanese army had poured into Malaya. The defence forces, not being strong enough to hold the invaders, were asked to retreat to Singapore. Initially reluctant, the Sultan agreed to the disbandment and insisted the men and their families return to their villages for safety. Sultan Ibrahim was quoted as saying the men did not like it but gave deference to him.

On the formation of the Malayan Union in 1946, the rulers, including the Sultan of Johor, were required to surrender their powers and prerogatives. The JMF ceased to function as a military unit. On July 31 of the same year, the officers and men of the JMF were discharged and granted five months full pay leave, retaining only a company of 100 men. The rank of Major General was deemed redundant, and the British appointed Sultan Ibrahim as an honorary Major General in the British Army.

The Federation of Malaya was formed on February 1, 1948. Under its constitution, the 100 men of the JMF were designated as the Sultan’s Own Bodyguards. This designation was met with fierce resistance from Sultan Ibrahim. The Federal government finally relented, and the JMF continued its existence and reorganised into a company of 128 men.

History repeated itself when, in August 1993, the Malaysian Parliament tabled a draft resolution, the Johor Military Forces (Disbandment and Repeal) Bill 1994, to disband the JMF as part of the government’s strategy to reduce the powers and privileges of the Johor Sultan. However, cool heads and reasoning prevailed, and the bill was withdrawn.

References:

1. Dato’ Hj. Mohd. Said – Buku Treati Johor Dengan Pertambahan nya oleh Major Dato’ Mohammad Said 1941 dicetak oleh Lembaga Malaya Press Ltd. Johor Bahru 1925
2. Dato’ Hj. Mohd. Said – A Compilation of Treaties and Agreements Affecting the State and Territory of Johor, The Government Printing Office Johor 1925
3. Surat Perjanjian Kerajaan Johor 11 Disember 1885 (Perjanjian Setia)
4. Dato’ Hj. Mohd. Said – Hikayat Johor Yang Kedua Tawarikh YMM Sultan Ibrahim 1941
5. Tunku Shahriman bin Tunku Sulaiman – The Johor Military Forces The Oldest Army of Malaysian Regulars in the Peninsula JMBRAS Dec 2004
6. Nesamalar Nadarajah – Johor and The Origins of British Control – Arena Book Sdn Bhd. 21 June 2000
7. J.M. Gullick – Rulers and Residents Influence and Power in the Malay States 1870-1920, Oxford University Press 1992
8. Shahrom Husain – Sejarah Johor Kaitan nya Dengan Negeri Melayu – Penerbit Fajar Sakti Sdn. Bhd. 1995
9. Commemorative Book: 100 Years of the Royal Johor Military Force (JMF) 1886-1986, Johor Government Printer 1986.
10. The Johor Military Forces Enactment No. 31, Johor Government Printer 1937

Unpublished:

1. Opinion on the Proposal to Amend the Johor Constitution Consequent to the Passing of the Constitutional Amendment Act 1993 – Saleh Abas, Yaacob and Sofiah Advocates and Solicitors, 29 October 1993
2. Yahya Ahmad – Johor Military Forces dan Kolonel Komandan Sultan Ibrahim, Satu Kajian Tinjauan Kemasyarakatan 1885- 1942, Thesis di Jabatan Sejarah Universiti Malaya 1974/75
3. Pasukan Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri Johor – Talib Al-Da’a Johor Bahru 1952
4. The Johor Military Forces (Disbandment and Repeal) Bill 1994, Dewan Rakyat 1994

 Newspapers:

1. The Straits Times July 28, 1902 – “The Johor Forces”
2. The Straits Times November 17, 1948 – “When the JMF Were Disbanded”
3. The Straits Times April 6, 1942 – “Mutineers Laid Their Guns at Sultan’s Feet”
4. The Singapore Free Press September 16, 1955 – “When the Japs Came”
5. The New Straits Times January 27, 1993 “Military Force Status Review at Exco Meeting”
6. The New Straits Times August 14, 1993 – “End to Johor Military Forces. Muhyiddin: Sultan’s Private Army Will Be Disbanded.”