Fighter pilot returns to Setiawangsa

Zulhasnan then and (pic below) now.

MANY people know Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique as a former Federal Territories minister and a one-time Malaysian ambassador to the United States, but did you know that he was once a pilot?

A fighter pilot, to be exact.

Zulhasnan, 64, who has been recalled to contest the parliamentary seat of Setiawangsa which he twice won in 2004 and 2008, served in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) for 12 years.

His career with the army began in 1973 as a commissioned officer, and he retired in 1985 as a fighter pilot and qualified flying instructor holding the rank of major.

During his air force stint, Zulhasnan was involved in various operations including in the fight against  communists insurgents. 

He flew several types of fighter aircraft, including the Bulldog, Tebuan and F5-E.

Zulhasnan was the first non-British national to win the coveted Jet Provost and Central Flying School trophies, which he pulled of while training at the Royal Air Force Leeming in North Yorkshire, the United Kingdom.

"A fighter pilot is always on edge whilst flying, and making split-second decisions is a critical trait, " said Zulhasnan.