THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE
he history of the Royal Military College commenced on 3rd July 1952 when a historic announcement was made by the Secretary of Defence that the Malay Regiment Training Depot in Port Dickson was to be up-graded to the Malay Regiment Training Centre with the additional establishment of the Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit (Pre-OCTU) and a Boys Company. It was not until 1953, when the then British High Commissioner to Malaya, the late Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer conceived a long term objective for these two establishments, that the FEDERATION MILITARY COLLEGE was formally formed.
Since its inception, the College has undergone various changes. From its original site at the 5th Mile Coast Road, Port Dickson, it moved to its present campus in Sungai Besi in April 1961. From the first intake of 74 Budak Boy in August 1952, the population of the present Putera stands at nearly 500 today. When it first started, the initial intake was for Form II. When the boys were allowed to continue their Form VI studies in the College, the intakes were for Form III and Form IV with a few taken directly into Form V. Due to the poor performance of a number of Form III boys in the Lower Certificate of Education examinations, the intake was changed into Form IV only, with effect from 1964. In 1980, the intake into Form I was introduced when it was decided to bring the college in line with the other fully residential schools in the country. At the same time, Form VI classes were discontinued. During that year, the policy requiring all Puteras to join the Armed Forces on completion of their studies in Boys' Wing was also introduced. This policy was aborted in 1985. Due to the renovation work on its buildings, the intake for Form I was discontinued in 1991 and it was back to the intake for Form IV. The intake into Form II was re-introduced for the academic year 1994/95 in addition to the intake for Form IV. In 1997, the intake for Form IV was discontinued.
From its original role as a feeder institution for potential officers for the Armed Forces, it's charter was expanded to include the Public Service and private sector with the formation of the Federation Military College in 1953. This charter has been maintained till this day. To-date, nearly 5000 Puteras have graduated from the College.
When the college was established in 1953, its original staff was less than 10 (consisting of British teachers with the exception of one Malay Language teacher). Today, the staff consists of nearly 60 Military and Civilian teachers. In line with the Malaysianization of the College, the first Malaysian Senior Military Officer was appointed in 1961. In 1965 the first Malaysian Director of Studies was appointed. The name of the College was re-designated as the ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE when the Agong's Colour was awarded to the College by His Majesty the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong in 1966. In 1967, the first Malaysian Army Officer took over the post of the Commandant from the British Army Officer. The long-used term "Boy" was replaced with the term "Putera" in 1971 and the Boys' Wing was re-designated as the Putera Division.
In 1995, the Cadet Division, although still part of the College, was relocated to Ulu Tiram camp to facilitate the formation of the newly established Armed Forces Academy. On 20th May 1997, the College officially handed over its Sungai Besi campus to the Armed Forces Academy and officially moved its Headquarters to Ulu Tiram camp, to be co-located with its Cadet Division. Putera Division remained at its present campus and was placed under the "local administration" of the Armed Forces Academy.
The formation of the Armed Forces Academy, co-located in the campus of the College, the move of the Cadet Division to Ulu Tiram and the handing over of the Sungai Besi campus and the subsequent move of the College Headquarters to Ulu Tiram raised concern on the future of the College albeit the Putera Division. It was not until late 1998 that a decision was made to maintain the Royal Military College as an entity (less the Cadet Division) and to remain in the Sungai Besi campus.
It is our hope that the new Royal Military College will not only continue with its role of "preparing young Malaysians to take their places as Officers in the Armed Forces, in the higher divisions of the public service and as leaders in the professional, commercial and industrial life of the country" but to produce the best in the country.
The Royal Military College has been established with the object of preparing young Malaysians to take their places as officers in the Armed Forces of the Federation, in the higher divisions of the public service and as leaders in the professional, commercial and industrial life of the country.