JOHOR BARU: An average of 40% among cadet officers under the army’s Public University Reserve Officer Training Unit (Palapes) have registered with the Territorial Army (Askar Wataniah) after completing their tertiary education.

       Chief of Army Jen Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain said that it was not compulsory for cadet officers who completed their three-year training programme to join the army.

       “They are free to choose their own careers but we are appealing to them, no matter where they work, to report themselves to the Territorial Army located throughout Malaysia,” he added.

       Jen Zamrose said this in a press conference after handing out accreditation to cadets in conjunction with the 39th army Palapes ceremony held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia here yesterday.

       He said that based on records, an average of 40% of these Palapes cadet officers would report themselves to the Territorial Army.

       Jen Zamrose said the army always welcomed the cadet officers with a designated graduate category just for them.

       “If their cumulative grade point average is 2.17 and above, we will put them under priority one where they can become permanent army officers,” he said.

       The army, he said, was facing challenges in recruiting the public to join its volunteer force.

       He added that the army was in the process of driving up its volunteer force membership with a ratio of one volunteer to one soldier.

       The programme was being carried out under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) where they were encouraging Palapes cadet officers as well as other races to join, he added.

       Under the 12MP, the recruitment drive will go on for the next five years.

       “They are very important as they will be our backup if anything happens. For example, Territorial Army personnel are not only trained to prepare for war but we can deploy them for natural disasters such as floods,” he said.