# Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali

Mohamed Hashim bin Mohd Ali (born 10 April 1937) is a Malaysian military officer who served as the Chief of Defence Forces from 1987 to 1992, and as the Chief of Army from 1985 to 1987. He is the brother of Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

## Biography

Mohamed Hashim Mohd Ali was born on 10 April 1937 at Jalan Peel in the city of Kuala Lumpur (then the state capital of Selangor) to Mohd Ali Mohd Taib and Khalijah Ahmad, ethnic Malay parents of Minangkabau descent from Klang, Selangor with ancestral roots in Rao Mapat Tunggul, West Sumatra, Indonesia. He is the youngest child of his parents.
Soon after finishing primary school, he enrolled in Institut Victoria, Kuala Lumpur from 1949 to 1955. Whilst schooling there, he was the captain of the hockey team and also represented the school in swimming events.

## Military career

Hashim Mohd Ali entered the military as a career. He became a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst around 1955 to 1957. In December 1957, he was commissioned as a junior officer in the Royal Malay Regiment and was assigned the duty of the 3rd battalion.
He was also the commanding officer of the 5th Royal Malay Regiment while on duty in Sarawak. After being appointed as Brigadier General, he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the Rejang Area Security Command or RASCOM in Sarawak, where he managed to help restore peace and security and stability in the area.
In 1980, after attending a course at the National Defence College, India, he was appointed as Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defence in the rank of a Major General.
In 1982, he took over the charge of the Second Infantry Division based in Penang Island. In carrying out his duties as the Commanding Officer of the division, he established a close relationship with the Chief of Command of Region 4, Royal Thai Army. As a result of the close relationship and increased cooperation between the two sides, the military pressure given has crippled the ability of the Communist terrorists to carry out their armed rebellion until finally signing the peace agreement of Hat Yai in 1989.
After relinquishing his duties as the commanding officer of the 2nd Division Regiment, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army in 1984.
In November 1985, he was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Army. In October 1987, he took over the position of Chief of Defence Forces until his retirement in April 1992 upon turning 55 years old, after serving for 35 years in the armed forces. General Hashim is the signatory of the Hat Yai Peace Agreement on behalf of the Malaysian Government in his duties as Chief of Defense Forces.

## After retirement

After retirement, Hashim was appointed as a director in several companies listed on Bursa Kuala Lumpur.
Hashim was appointed chief executive officer and chairman of SUKOM Ninety Eight Berhad, a company established by the Government of Malaysia to organize and manage the XVI Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur which was held from 11 to 21 September 1998.

## Personal life

Hashim Mohd Ali is the youngest among his siblings, which include:
* Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali (1915–1998), his eldest brother, served as the Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia from 1962 to 1980 and also as the Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Berhad.
* Tan Sri Dato' Paduka Datin Dr. Saleha Mohamed Ali (1921–2011), his eldest sister, was a medical doctor.
* Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali (born 1927), his second sister, is a doctor by profession and the wife of Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
* Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ahmad Razali Mohamad Ali (1929–2001) his second eldest brother, served as the Menteri Besar of Selangor from 1982 to 1986.
* Dato' Jhaffar Mohamad Ali (1932–2003), his youngest elder brother, was a reputed businessman.

## Honours
### Honours of Malaysia

* Malaya :
** Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1962)
* Malaysia :
** Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (2022)
** Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (1988)
** Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (1987)
** Companion of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (JMN) (1977)
** Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (1971)
* Malaysian Armed Forces :
** Courageous Commander of the Most Gallant Order of Military Service (PGAT)
* Kedah :
** Knight Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (DHMS) – Dato' Paduka (1991)
** Knight Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah (DSDK) – Dato' (1985)
* Pahang :
** Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1988)
* Perak :
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Taming Sari (SPTS) – Dato' Seri Panglima (1986)
* Sarawak :
** Member of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (ABS)
* Selangor :
** Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1989)
** Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (DPMS) – Dato' (1981)

### Foreign Honours

* Brunei
** Order of Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang 1st Class (DPKT) – Dato Paduka Seri (1991)
* Indonesia :
** Honorary Recipient of the Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama (BYD) (1992)