RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING UNIT (ROTU)

A Reserve officer Training Unit (ROTU) or Malay: Pasukan Latihan Pegawai Simpanan (PALAPES) is a unit to train volunteer reserve officers from undergraduate students for the armed force in Malaysia. Those who complete training will be commissioned as sub-lieutenants in the army and air force or second lieutenant in the navy.

The origin of the Reserve Officers Training Unit began on April 3^rd 1965 with the establishment of the 1^st infantry battalion branch of the reserve army at the University of Malaya. It started as a reaction and concern of the staff and students of University of Malaya with regards to the confrontation with Indonesia in 1963.

            At its formation stage 30 students from different faculties underwent an elementary recruit course at Seputih training camp in Batu Gajah Perak during their term break. Most of these students had a military or police background, and they were all former students of the royal military college. Racial events of 13^th May 1969 resulted in this company spreading to other institute of higher learning, with the establishment of A Company in Mara Institute Of Technology, B Company in the Putra University Of Malaysia, and C Company in the National University Of Malaysia, with University Of Malaya remaining as its battalion headquarters.

            The high spirit shown by these students of higher learning prompted the then Director of the reserve army, Brigadier General Dato’ Abul As Bin Ismail to initiate discussion with Vice Chancellors  of all the universities to establish the Reserved Officers Training Unit or ROTU.

 ROTU LOGO

There are an objectives for the establishment of ROTU. The objectives:

v  To provide military training facilities to public university students in order to produce graduates with high levels of discipline and military knowledge,

v  To provide a source of graduate officers for the Malaysian Reserve or Regular Armed Forces units,

v  To produce military-trained citizens for the purpose of supporting national defence. 

32nd  ROYAL COMMISSION at UMS.