FOUR WOMEN SOLDIERS MAKE M'SIAN ARMY HISTORY

KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 (Bernama) -- Four women soldiers created history in
conjunction with the Royal Malaysian Army's 76th anniversary Sunday when two of
them became the first women to receive their wings while two others were given
the honour to be parade commanders.

Captain Diana Hamdan, 27, from the First Royal Artillery Regiment, and
Captain Siti Nurfarhana Mohd Aminuddin, 26, from the Royal Military Police
Corps, received their 'Military Wing Standard' while Captain Ungku Fatimah
Zaharah Ungku Abu Bakar, 24, from the Royal Signals Regiment was given the
honour to be the RMA's colour bearer and Captain Nornie Fathma Ab
Rahman, 26, as first female parade adjutant.

Army chief General Ismail Jamaluddin said there was no gender
discrimination in the army.

"It is up to the individuals to determine their direction and if women are
willing to shoulder the responsibility, the tasks and are tough, they can walk
as tall as their male colleagues," he told reporters after the anniversary
celebration at the Sungai Besi army camp here.

Ismail said the army had no problems having women soldiers and that more
women were joining the army as a profession.


Meanwhile, Diana, who is from Merlimau, Melaka, said it was not easy for her
to compete with her male colleagues but she persevered and managed to complete
the one-and-half-year course before she finally got her wings.

She joined the army four years ago as an artillery officer and her next goal
is to be an aircraft captain.

For Ungku Fatimah Zaharah, from Subang Jaya and who holds a bachelor of
science degree in human resources development from Universiti Putera Malaysia,
and Sarawakian Nornie Fathma, a graduate from Universiti Teknologi Mara, they
regarded their achievement as a success for women in a male-dominated field.

-- BERNAMA