Former Malaysia armed forces chief charged over welfare fund abuses
Former Chief of Defence Force Mohd Nizam Jaffar has been charged with four corruption-related offences linked to Malaysia’s Armed Forces Welfare Fund, as authorities widen investigations into alleged military procurement abuses.
- Former Chief of Defence Force Mohd Nizam Jaffar was charged with four corruption-related offences linked to the Armed Forces Welfare Fund.
- The charges include abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and receiving valuables worth RM200,000.
- The case is part of a wider anti-graft crackdown on alleged irregularities in military procurement since late 2025.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Malaysia’s former armed forces chief Mohd Nizam Jaffar was charged on 23 January 2026 with multiple corruption-related offences linked to the Armed Forces Welfare Fund, marking another high-profile case in the country’s ongoing military graft investigations.
Nizam, 59, pleaded not guilty to all four charges after they were read at the Kuala Lumpur Special Corruption Court.
The judge allowed bail set at RM180,000, pending trial.
According to court documents, Nizam faces two counts of abuse of power related to the procurement of items for Hari Raya hampers distributed by the Armed Forces Welfare Fund.
He was also charged with one count of criminal breach of trust for investing welfare fund money without authorisation, allegedly contrary to established procedures governing the use of the fund.
In addition, prosecutors charged Nizam with accepting valuable items as a public servant from a party involved in official dealings.
The item was said to be worth RM200,000, or about US$49,720.
The welfare fund provides assistance to Malaysian Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families who are facing financial hardship. Support includes cash aid and essential items such as milk powder and disposable diapers.
Prosecutors did not disclose the companies involved during the court proceedings. Further details are expected to emerge when the trial begins.
Ex-army chief charged in court over RM2.1 million money laundering case a day earlier
Nizam’s case follows closely after charges were filed against another former army chief.
On 22 January 2026, Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, 58, and his wife Salwani Anuar, 26, were charged with money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 million.
They also pleaded not guilty. The cases have drawn public attention due to the seniority of the officers involved and the scale of the alleged offences.
The prosecutions form part of a broader anti-corruption campaign targeting irregularities in military procurement and welfare fund management. Several high-profile arrests and asset seizures have taken place since late 2025.
On 15 January 2026, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said it had completed investigations into allegations that senior armed forces officers solicited and accepted bribes from companies linked to welfare fund procurement.
“They are also suspected of misusing funds for personal gain and activities not related to the welfare fund,” the commission said in a statement.
The investigation, launched on 7 October 2025, resulted in the seizure of more than RM2 million in local and foreign currencies.
Authorities also confiscated 66 gold bars estimated to be worth RM1.7 million, along with several luxury vehicles believed to be connected to the alleged offences.
Nizam was appointed as Malaysia’s 23rd Chief of Defence Force on 31 January 2025.
He reportedly went on leave from 1 January 2026, ahead of his mandatory retirement scheduled for August upon turning 60.
Defence Minister Khaled Nordin stated in November 2025 that Nizam’s retirement plans were unrelated to a separate MACC probe into an alleged weapons smuggling syndicate involving senior military officers.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had publicly thanked Nizam for his service when the latter paid a courtesy call on 17 December 2025, shortly before going on leave.
Scrapped helicopter deal and royal warning sharpen scrutiny of military procurement
Throughout his career, Nizam held several senior and strategic positions within the armed forces.
These included commandant of the National Resilience College, training management director at the Army Training and Doctrine Command, and commander of the 2nd Malaysian Army Infantry Brigade.
He also served as aide de camp to the Deputy Chief of Army from 1989 to 1990, to the Chief of Defence Force from 1990 to 1992, and to the 14th king of Malaysia from 2011 to 2016.
In August 2025, Nizam cancelled plans to procure four ageing Black Hawk helicopters after the current king, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, described them as “flying coffins”.
The monarch also warned against the influence of “agents” in military procurement, comments that intensified scrutiny of defence purchases and contracting processes.
