A opposition Member of Parliament and former senior army officer has called out the practice of “hand-kissing” among top leadership in the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), saying it should be stopped.
Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor (PN-Ketereh) raised the issue during a supplementary question to Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari in the Dewan Rakyat today. He referred to a video from the appointment ceremony of the 24th Chief of Defence Forces, General Datuk Malek Razak Sulaiman, held on 3 February and officiated by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“I want to address MINDEF regarding the culture of kissing the minister’s hand—please stop it! I saw this going viral. A General kissed the minister’s hand—what is this? This is not right. Parents may do it, but kissing the Defence Minister’s hand is inappropriate. I hope MINDEF corrects this,” Khlir said.
In response, Adly, who is also the MP for Alor Gajah, replied: “The second question does not need an answer; perhaps it serves as a reminder to all of us.”
Meanwhile, a government MP, Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading), also shared his perspective on the matter, noting: “Whether to kiss hands or not is up to the individual. Bringing this up in Parliament, you have to feel a bit for the General.”
The remarks have sparked debate online about protocol, respect, and the boundaries of military tradition in Malaysia.
