Zain Hashim

Zain was born on 1 August 1930 in Hampstead, London and moved to Kelantan when he was one year old.^[2] He attended secondary education at Ismail English School, Kota Bharu and graduated in 1948.^[3]

During his military career, Zain attended various courses at multiple institutions, such as Staff College, Camberley in 1958, the Imperial Defence College, London in 1971, and at Harvard Business School in 1984.^[4][5][6]

Zain joined the military in 1949 as a recruit for Malay Regiment before he selected to undergo the Officer Cadet Course for two years at Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1950.^[7] After he completed the course, he was commissioned to second lieutenant and posted as company officer at the Federation Armoured Car Regiment.^[8]

When he completed his course at Staff College, Camberley in 1960, he posted as brigade major of 3rd Infantry Brigade.^[9] During the time in which he held that post, he served with his brigade under the Malayan Special Forces for United Nations Operation in the Congo (UNOC).^[10]

When his assignment was completed in 1961, he posted as commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Federation Reconnaissance Corps and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He held that position until 1963, when he was transferred at the Ministry of Defence to serve as a Principal Staff Officer in the Personnel Division.^[9]

In early August 1967, he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the Kuala Lumpur Garrison.^[11]

In October 1968, he was promoted to brigadier general and appointed as chief of personnel staff at the Ministry of Defence.^[12][13] He held the position until he was transferred and appointed the commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade in Kuching a year later.^[14]

After completing a course at the Imperial Defence College, London, he was appointed as commander of the 7th Infantry Brigade in late 1972.^[15]

In early 1977, he was appointed as Chief of Logistic Staff before he was transferred as Deputy Chief of Army in the following year.^[16]

He was promoted to lieutenant general in early October 1980.^[17]

Zain was appointed as the 8th Chief of Army on 20 January 1981, following his predecessor, Mohd Ghazali Mohd Seth, the 7th Chief of Defense Forces.^[18] He held the post until 16 January 1984, when he was succeeded by Mohd Ghazali Che Mat.^[6]

Zain was married Che Zaharah binti Alias in 1961 and had one daughter and one son with her.^[19] Zain and Zaharah officially divorced in 1995. That same year, he married Salifah binti Mohd Esa, and later had one son with her.^[20]

Zain was pronounced dead at 3:50 PM on 30 June 2011 at Selayang Hospital, Selangor, with the cause of death being old age. That night, he was buried at Section 9 Muslim Cemetery, Kota Damansara.^[21]