Gen (Rtd) Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali recalls his colourful childhood and his immense pride at serving his country as an adult.

KUALA LUMPUR: He was a "kaunda kaundi" and rounders champion as a young schoolboy at Pasar Road Primary.

Later at the Victoria Institution (VI), Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali excelled in swimming, water-polo, badminton and hockey.

However, never did he dream he would become an army general, let alone Malaysia's chief of defence force (CDF).

"Except for the radio, there were no television, telephone, toys or gadgets at our homes those days around Jalan Peel and Jalan Weld (now Jalan Raja Chulan).

"Thus, I either wrestled with my five brothers on our mother's bed or played outdoor games with neighbours' children, a majority of whom were non-Malays like Khoo Teng Bin, with whom I once cycled to Port Dickson.

"Kaunda kaundi" was one of Hashim's favourite sports during his early schooldays.

"We would raid each other's refrigerators for snacks. Our religious differences did not come between us," said General (Rtd) Hashim, better known as Freddie Hashim, in conjunction with Warrior's Day on July 31.

As a V.I. Scout, his sense of discipline and neatness in uniform earned him the Queen Scout's award in 1953 from Field Marshal General Sir Gerald Templer.

"That further spurred me to enlist with the Federation Military College (FMC) in Port Dickson, right after school in 1954," recalled Hashim, who turned 90 on April 10.

"After six months' cadet training, I was among 12 sent for further training at Eaton Hall in Cheshire, England.

"The Mat Sallehs (Caucasians) had a poor perception of us, thinking we lived on trees in the forests. It gave me the impetus to out-perform them, becoming a cadet sergeant - with three of the whites serving inferiorly as my junior under-officers," he said.

Hashim as a cadet in 1954 at the Federation Military College
in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

He added that the experience of being trained overseas was priceless as they had better facilities there and "wider exposure to build character and toughen you."

After four months, Hashim qualified for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in Camberley, near Surrey, for 15 months.

"When I checked into Sandhurst, my roommate Donald Pell had difficulty pronouncing my name. 'Your name is too long. I will call you Frederick. Freddie for short'," Hashim recalled, saying the name stuck.

Once, during an academy boxing bout, Neil Sutherland slammed Hashim's jaw. However, it was Sutherland who landed in hospital for a dislocated shoulder.

"I visited him the next day and explained to his mother that I did not punch Neil. He lost his balance and fell after hitting me," Hashim said.

Hashim as a cadet at Eaton Hall, England in 1955.

After graduating from RMAS, Hashim was commissioned as a second-lieutenant in the Royal Malay Regiment on Dec 20, 1956.

In later years as a captain, Hashim became the first Malay aide-de-camp (ADC) to the last British CDF, General Rodney Moore.

"I became very close, like a son, to him and his wife Patricia, who cried when my two-year stint was over.

"It was a standing joke that the ADC usually married the general's daughter. I did one better by taking over the general's house (Flagstaff House, later renamed Rumah Perkasa) when on Oct 5, 1987, I became CDF," said Hashim.

He reminisced about meeting Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, in conjunction with his courtesy call on his counterpart Lieutenant-General Winston Choo in the republic.

Hashim (left) and former CDF Gen (Rtd) Gary Ghazali Mohd Seth
paying a courtesy call on Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew in 1987.

"During the meeting, Lee warned of mobilising his troops if Malaysia stopped supplying raw water as Malaysia negotiated to increase the price.

"I responded that it was my job to stop anything untoward from uninvited guests. If he were to enter the country uninvited, I would have to prevent him from doing so," Hashim told Lee.

At the Warrior's Day event, Hashim paid tribute to his parents, Siti Khatijah Ahmad and Mohd Ali Taib, who served as official assignee of bankruptcy, earning the moniker "Pak Ali Bankerap"!

Hashim and Majmin Yahya being blessed by the
Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman at their wedding reception.

After retirement in 1992, Hashim and wife Majmin Yahya, met his sister Siti Hasmah and husband, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad visiting London.

"Mahathir caught me off guard when he asked me to run Sukom '98 (XVI Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games 1998).

"Before I could respond, he firmly told me 'Yes, you can.' And that was it. Many assumed that I was given the job owing to my family relationship with Dr Mahathir.

"This time I could not turn him down as I had on two occasions before - when I was offered to become the Malaysian High Commissioner to Britain and as Kuala Lumpur mayor," revealed Hashim.

* * * * *     TUN HASHIM'S VI DAYS 1949 -1953     * * * * *

Tun Hashim was an exemplary all-round pupil during his time at the VI. He was a swimmer in the school team as well as Vice-Captain of the school water-polo team. He also passed the examinations of the Royal Life Saving Society, winning a bronze medallion as life saver.

Tun was also active on the drama scene. When the V.I. Drama Society staged The Merchant of Venice at the KL Town hall, he was cast in the role of the Prince of Arragon, a suitor to Portia.

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