The Star of the Commander of Valour () is a medal awarded by the Malaysian government. The award was established on 29 July 1960, and it was formally gazetted by a statute on 11 August 1960. It is Malaysia's second highest gallantry award, coming in second only to the Grand Knight of Valour ().
Only members of the military (i.e. all services under the Malaysian Armed Forces) and members of law enforcement forces (e.g. Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) are eligible for the award. It can be bestowed posthumously.
When compared to British Armed Forces military awards, this award is equivalent to the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
Allowance The award was established on 29 July 1960 under the Statutes of Panglima Gagah Berani [G.N. 3151/1960], however it's not until 1983 that the Malaysian government started paying allowance to the recipients.
In 2001, the Panglima Gagah Berani (Remembrance Allowance) Act 2001 [Act 616] was enacted, which fixed the monthly allowance for living recipients at RM300 for each medal he received. Under the Act, the next of kin of posthumous recipients would also receive a one-off compensation of RM15,000. This medal may also be given to the same person for more than once.
On 1 July 2009, the monthly allowance for living recipients was raised to RM1,500 after the government passed an amendment to the Act in parliament the same year.
The allowance may be revoked if any of the following conditions are met:
The recipient passed away. The recipient is guilty of criminal offence and sentenced to either death or imprisonment. The award was revoked in accordance with Section VIII of the Statutes of Panglima Gagah Berani.
Appearance The medal is made of pure silver and is shaped like a five-pointed star. On the star, two Kris lie beneath the Malaysian royal crown. A ribbon with 45° stripes slanting right holds the star. Stripes come in red, white, blue, and yellow.
List of recipients
As of the year 2023, 115 people have been awarded the Star of the Commander of Valour. #NameRank at the timeYearUniformed servicesUnit at that timeNote1Lieutenant1958Malay Regiment2Chong Yong Chin Sergeant1958Federation Regiment3Hashim bin Jantan Lance Corporal1958Malay Regiment4Mohamed Ghazali bin Haji Che MatCaptain1958Malay Regiment5Choo Wah SoonLance Corporal1961Federation Reconnaissance Regiment6Maurice Lam Shye Choon Captain1963Federation Reconnaissance Regiment7Neville Herbert SiebelLieutenant1963Federation Reconnaissance Regiment8Lee Ah Pow Captain1964Malaysian Reconnaissance Regiment9Kamaruddin bin Mohd Jamal 2nd Lieutenant1965Royal Malay Regiment102nd Lieutenant1966Royal Malay Regiment11Ismail bin Ghows Major1967Royal Malay Regiment12Mahmor bin Said Trooper1968Malaysian Special Service Unit13Baharin bin Abdul Jalil 2nd Lieutenant1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment14Dajai anak Anggie Corporal1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment15David Fu Chee Ming 2nd Lieutenant1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment16Ismail bin Salleh Major1971Royal Malay Regiment17Lan anak Gima Ranger1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment18Mileng anak Kilong Sergeant1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment19Unggek anak Antin Ranger1971Malaysian Ranger Regiment20Wan Hassan bin Haji Wan Ahmad 2nd Lieutenant1971Royal Malay Regiment21Zi bin Yaakub Private1971Royal Malay Regiment22Bajau anak LadiRanger1972Malaysian Ranger Regiment23Indang anak EngkasSergeant1972Malaysian Ranger Regiment24Kassim bin Abdul Kadir2nd Lieutenant1972Intelligence Corps25Mering anak Imang Lance Corporal1972Malaysian Ranger Regiment26Osman bin ShariffSergeant1972Royal Reconnaissance Regiment27Jantan bin NyamatSergeant1973Royal Malay Regiment28Ahmad bin AdnanCorporal1973Malaysian Ranger Regiment29Nyopis nak Noyeat Corporal1973Malaysian Ranger Regiment30Robert Rizal bin AbdullahCaptain1973Malaysian Ranger Regiment31Salehuddin bin Abdul Mutalib Lieutenant1973Royal Cavalry Corps32Samaon bin AhmadCaptain1973Royal Malay Regiment33Abdullah bin Dolmat2nd Lieutenant1974Royal Malay Regiment34Md Ali bin Ahmad Trooper1974Malaysian Special Service Regiment35Saafar bin Ibrahim Corporal1974Royal Malay Regiment36Sigai anak Nawan Trooper1974Malaysian Special Service Regiment37Wilfred Gomez MalongInspector1974 Royal Malaysia PoliceBorder Scouts, Police Field Force38Zaki bin Nordin Corporal1974Malaysian Special Service Regiment39Abdul Jalil bin Makmor 2nd Lieutenant1975Royal Malay Regiment40Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Rahman Captain197510 Squadron RMAF41Ahmad bin Abdul Rashid Captain1975Intelligence Corps42Arokiasamy Augustine U. UbagarasamySergeant1975Malaysian Ranger Regiment43Mahamad Basri bin Din 2nd Lieutenant1975Engineer Regiment44Mat Isa bin Hassan Ranger1975Malaysian Ranger Regiment45Othman bin Ismail Lance Corporal1975Royal Malay Regiment46Shanmuganathan ArampooCaptain1975Malaysian Ranger Regimentposthumous47Taib bin Awal Private1975Royal Malay Regiment48Abdul Kadir bin Mat JanaSub-Inspector1976 Royal Malaysia PolicePolice Field Force49Choo Yeok BooCaptain19767 Squadron RMAFposthumous50Gui Poh ChoonChief Inspector1976 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Investigation Division (D9), Criminal Investigation Department51Basri bin Omar2nd Lieutenant1976Engineer Regiment52Kulasingam SabaratnamDeputy Superintendent of Police1976 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Investigation Division (D9), Criminal Investigation Department53Beliang anak BaliLance Corporal1977Malaysian Ranger Regiment54Ielias bin Ibrahim Private1977Territorial Army Regiment55Jamaludin bin Suriani Warrant Officer II1977Intelligence Corps56Mat Zin bin Mat YassinInspector1977 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branchposthumous57Mohamad bin SalimConstable1977 Royal Malaysia PolicePolice Field Force58Mohd Noh bin HashimConstable1977 Royal Malaysia PolicePolice Field Force59Muit bin AhmadSergeant1977Malaysian Special Service Group60Mohamad H. Piah bin AliLieutenant1978Royal Malay Regiment61Panirchellvum Velaitham2nd Lieutenant1978Malaysian Ranger Regiment62Salihuddin bin SaisiCorporal1978 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch63Kanang anak LangkauSergeant1980Malaysian Ranger Regiment64Roslan bin A. Rahman 2nd Lieutenant1980Royal Malay Regiment65Abdullah bin Babu Major1981Royal Malay Regiment66Gunasegaran Naidu RatinumInspector1981 Royal Malaysia PoliceSenoi Praaq, Police Field Forceposthumous67Ismail bin Haji AhmadLance Corporal1981Royal Malay Regiment68Long anak Pandak Corporal1981 Royal Malaysia PoliceSenoi Praaq, Police Field Force69Mohd. Aziz bin Mohd. YusofDetective Constable1981 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch70Mohd. Zain bin Mohd. Noh Sergeant1981Royal Malay Regiment71Ahmad Radzi bin Mohd NoorSergeant198272Abdul Kamal bin SallehLance Corporal1983Royal Malay Regiment73Desmond Godfrey LawrenceSuperintendent of Police1983 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch74Tachmi bin Ismail Corporal1983Royal Malay Regiment75Micheal Riman anak BugatSergeant1984Malaysian Ranger Regiment76Mohd Mashkor bin MuradiSergeant1987 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Actions Unit77Nazaruddin bin Mohd ZainSergeant1987 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Actions Unit78Borhan bin DaudInspector1989 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch79Voon Ken HongInspector1989 Royal Malaysia PoliceF Team, Special Branch80Ab Aziz bin Ab Latiff Major1994Royal Malay Regiment812nd Lieutenant1994Royal Malay Regiment82Mohd Halim bin Khalid Captain1994Royal Malay Regiment83Mohd Sabri bin Ahmad Lance Corporal1994Royal Malay Regiment84Muhammad Juraimy bin Aripin 2nd Lieutenant1994Royal Malay Regiment85Rizal bin IsmailLance Corporal1994Royal Malay Regiment86Gani anak Binjoi Sergeant1995Royal Ranger Regimentposthumous87Suhaidi bin SaadLieutenant1995Royal Malay Regiment88Mohamad bin BaharomWarrant Officer II1996Royal Intelligence Corps89Mohd. Noor bin RazakActing Assistant Superintendent of Police1996 Royal Malaysia PoliceJungle Squad 69, Police Field Force90Azman bin MudaConstable1997 Royal Malaysia PolicePandan Indah Police Cottage 91Mohd. Zahir bin MamatLance Corporal1997 Royal Malaysia PolicePandan Indah Police Cottage 92Ada bin KulimLance Corporal1998 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando93Anuar bin AliasCommander2000Naval Special Force94Mohd Shah bin AhmadDetective Sergeant2001 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch95Sagadevan RajooDetective Sergeant2001 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branchposthumous96Mathew anak MedanCorporal200221st Special Service Groupposthumous97Mohd. Fakaruddin bin ZakariaConstable2007 Royal Malaysia PoliceGeneral Duty Branch, Semenyih Police Stationposthumous98Hisham bin MahmoodAssistant Superintendent of Police2012 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Actions Unit99Apot anak SaadSergeant Major2013 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando100Abd. Aziz bin Sarikon Sergeant Major2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceGeneral Operations Forceposthumous101Azman bin Ampong Corporal2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando102Baharin Bin Hamit Detective Sergeant Major2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branchposthumous103Ibrahim bin Lebar Assistant Commissioner of Police2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branchposthumous104Michael anak Padel Deputy Superintendent of Police 2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branchposthumous105Mohd Azrul bin Tukiran Corporal2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceGeneral Operations Forceposthumous106Mohd Salleh bin Abd Razak Corporal2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando107Mohd Tarmizi bin Hashim Corporal2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando108Sabarudin bin Daud Sergeant2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commandoposthumous109Salam bin Tugiran Sergeant (S)2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceTransport Branch, Logistics and Technology Departmentposthumous110Zulkifli bin Mamat Assistant Superintendent of Police2014 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commandoposthumous111Datuk Leong Chee WohSenior Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)2017 Royal Malaysia PoliceF Team, Special Branch112Md Radzi bin Md IsaDeputy Superintendent of Police (Retired)2017 Royal Malaysia PoliceVAT 69 Commando113Baharuddin bin RamliSergeant2021 Royal Malaysia Police3rd Battalion (Senoi Praaq), General Operations Forceposthumous114Norihan bin TariSergeant2021 Royal Malaysia Police3rd Battalion (Senoi Praaq), General Operations Force115Mohamad Hasnal bin JamilDeputy Superintendent of Police2023 Royal Malaysia PoliceSpecial Branch
Notable recipients
Baharin Abd Jalil Major () Baharin bin Abd Jalil, (Service number: 410560), was a Platoon Commander in A Company of the 1st Battalion, Malaysian Ranger Regiment (1 RANGER) at the time. He was a Leftenan Muda ('2nd Lieutenant') at the time. In Operation Hentam, he was tasked with conducting blocks in various locations around Kampung Goebilt, Sarawak. Blocks are positions where a unit, the anvil, acts as a stopping force. The pursuing force, the hammer, would fire-fight the enemy into the anvil, where it would be efficiently decimated. In jungle warfare, the "Hammer and Anvil" tactic is widely used.
Two Communist terrorists met the villagers of Kampung Goebilt on 12 March 1971, to obtain food supplies. The villagers obliged by providing them with food, and the members of the 1 RANGER were quickly informed. As a result, one of the food-collecting terrorists was apprehended. Baharin divided his platoon into small groups after gathering more information. He joined forces with Ranger Lan Gima. These two were successful in detecting a group of enemies. The enemy group was estimated to number around ten people. They were successful in making contact with the enemy.
In a fierce moving gunfight, these two formidable characters engaged the enemy. Baharin and Lan Gima killed 13 of the enemy themselves. The King awarded the PGB to 2Lt Baharin bin Abd Jalil for valour in the highest Ranger Corps traditions. He left the military with the rank of Major.
David Fu Chee Ming