Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told PuspaHanas graduates they are trained as strategic leaders and custodians of peace, not just soldiers
PUTRAJAYA: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has reminded graduates of the National Centre for Defence Studies (PuspaHanas) that their roles extend far beyond being soldiers.
He emphasised that the 270 graduates are thinkers, strategists, and future guardians of peace and security.
“I am confident this institution has equipped you with the knowledge, the exposure, and the tools necessary to navigate the complex defence challenges that await us,” he said at the PuspaHanas graduation ceremony 2025.
Mohamed Khaled stated that graduation marks the start of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge in a fast-changing security landscape.
He noted that technologies evolve rapidly while non-traditional threats grow more complex.
The minister said the graduates are trained to be leaders who will determine missions and safeguard national security.
“Leadership is the backbone of the military profession,” he added.
He urged them to use their leadership for the benefit of mankind in combat, humanitarian missions, or disaster relief.
Mohamed Khaled told graduates their duty is to sustain, reinforce, and rebuild peace where necessary.
“You are not shaped to seek war. You are forged to be brokers of stability and mediators of peace,” he said.
He added that even in uniform, they carry the responsibility of being diplomats of dialogue and understanding.
The minister emphasised that the ultimate purpose of defence is the preservation of peace and stability.
He commended the vital role of Professional Military Education in shaping a modern, credible armed force.
Mohamed Khaled said PuspaHanas’s strength lies in bringing together brilliant minds from diverse nations and cultures.
He told graduates that the friendships forged there are strategic assets capable of preventing conflicts.
Seventeen Malaysian and seven foreign senior officers received course certificates in the first session.
A further 70 officers received their Master’s Degree in Social Science (Defence Studies) in the second session.
Finally, 176 Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College graduates received their diplomas in the third session.
The ceremony was attended by the chiefs of the defence force, army, navy, and air force. – Bernama
