'Proud and excited': RMAF chief leads National Day flypast
KUALA LUMPUR: "Subang Tower, this is Kris Mas, proceeding out to taxiway Yankee to Runway 33 for takeoff."
General Tan Sri Muhamad Norazlan Aris draws a lungful of oxygen through his Ulmer O2 mask and slips into the familiar cadence of a fighter pilot.
Today, the Royal Malaysian Air Force chief traded his customary blue digital camouflage battle dress uniform (BDU) for the PPK-3P-120M flight suit, Mk46SV survival vest and Gallet LA100 flight helmet as he prepares to lead the National Day flypast over Putrajaya.
The feeling, he said, was still one of pride and excitement, tempered by a comfortable sense of familiarity.
For the second consecutive year, Norazlan is piloting the Sukhoi Su-30MKM, leading a formation of three other Su-30MKMs, four F/A-18D Hornets and two BAE Systems Hawks over the administrative capital for Malaysia's 69th National Day celebrations.
"I feel proud and excited. More importantly, I see it as a responsibility to continue defending the country," he said.
For Norazlan, whose call sign is "Giro", flying one of the RMAF's frontline fighters means more than simply taking to the skies.
It is about leading from the front and reflects the responsibility he carries as service chief — ensuring Malaysia's airspace remains secure.
"Our main responsibility is to ensure the country's airspace is always safe and remains under our control.
"Our readiness must be high. We must have capable assets, an effective defence system, as well as trained and professional personnel," he said.
LEADING FROM THE COCKPIT
Norazlan's decision to remain "current" reflects his approach to leadership.
Despite holding the RMAF's highest appointment, he maintains a direct connection with its operational environment — leading not only from the command centre, but also from the cockpit.
His message to younger officers is simple: never stop learning and never become complacent.
"Improve your skills and do not be easily satisfied. Maintain your fighting spirit and always be ready to defend the homeland," he said.
Norazlan added that being an effective military aviator went beyond mastering an aircraft.
Rapid technological advances, he said, were among the greatest challenges in preparing the next generation of RMAF pilots.
"Young pilots must master new technologies while maintaining the discipline, courage and patriotism expected of those entrusted with defending the country.
"We want to produce pilots who are not only capable of flying aircraft, but who also possess strong character and a deep sense of responsibility towards the nation," he said.
'A TRUST THAT MUST BE DEFENDED'
That sense of duty is also central to Norazlan's understanding of Merdeka.
For him, independence is more than the freedom to celebrate Malaysia's sovereignty; it is the freedom to shape the nation's future — and, above all, the resolve and ability to defend it.
"For me, Merdeka means that we are free to determine our own future and are capable of defending Malaysia's sovereignty and dignity," he said.
He urged young Malaysians to value that freedom by pursuing knowledge, strengthening their capabilities and contributing to the nation.
"Love the country not only through words, but through contributions and actions," he said.
"The service must remain ready, continuously improve its capabilities and ensure its personnel maintain the highest professional standards," he said.
And as Norazlan works through his takeoff checklist and prepares to push the twin throttles of the Lyulka Saturn AL-31FP augmented turbofans past the detent and into full burner, the sight of the RMAF chief at the controls represents far more than a dramatic opening to the Merdeka flypast.
It is a statement of leadership and a demonstration of readiness.
More importantly, it is a reminder that sovereignty is not merely declared — it must be protected, every day and in every domain.
Because, as Norazlan puts it, "Independence is not just something to be celebrated, but a trust that must be defended."
