Rear Admiral Najhan Appointed NHC DG

KLANG, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- Rear Admiral Dr Najhan Md Said was today appointed the new National Hydrography Centre (NHC) director-general (DG), replacing Rear Admiral Datuk Hanafiah Hassan who will retire effective May next year.

Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain said that with Najhan’s experience and expertise, we are confident that Najhan's appointment will ensure the NHC continues to excel in the fields of hydrography, seabed mapping, navigational safety and international maritime cooperation.

"I am confident that with his experience, knowledge and commitment, he will be able to carry out this trust brilliantly and continue the excellence achieved by NHC thus far.

"This is not merely a symbolic exchange of leadership, but it symbolises the continuity and integrity of NHC as an important agency supporting the country's maritime defence and security," he said when speaking at the handover ceremony of duties at the NHC headquarters here today.

The event also attended by the commander of the 2nd Naval Region, Rear Admiral Datuk Yusne Mokhtar.

Zulhelmy said the NHC has long been the backbone of the country's maritime capabilities and that new leadership such as with Najhan is believed to strengthen its existing strategic role.

He also expressed his appreciation to Hanafiah for his services and contributions throughout his tenure as the NHC head since May 2018, during which he achieved various successes and advancements.

"I would also like to thank the wife of the former NHC DG, Datin Nor Hayati Abdullah, for her active involvement, strong support, and continuous contributions in making various initiatives and programmes of the Malaysian Armed Forces Family Welfare Association (BAKAT) of the RMN a success.

"Its role is not only to strengthen the spirit of togetherness and belonging among BAKAT members, but also to help instil values of welfare and family within the entire RMN community," he said.

Since his appointment as NHC DG on May 31, 2018, Hanafiah has been appointed as the head of the Malaysian Team for the Joint MH370 Search Team in Canberra, Australia, and has led the NHC to achieve five stars in the 2021 and 2023 readiness audits.

Hanafiah, 52, also successfully produced 49 new charts and editions and was a member of the Malaysian delegation that deposited 158 national baselines, consisting of 95 baselines in Peninsular Malaysia, 16 in Sarawak and 47 in Sabah, with The Division For Ocean Affairs And The Law Of The Sea (DOALOS) at the United Nations (UN) in 2022.

He began his transition training today until Feb 1, 2026 before officially retiring on May 1 next year.

-- BERNAMA