KUALA LUMPUR — A pioneer batch of 16 Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) veterans has officially reported for duty as full-time wardens across eight selected Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).
The strategic deployment by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) aims to leverage the veterans’ rigorous military expertise to eradicate bullying and restore absolute discipline across its boarding schools.
Mara Chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki emphasized that this move is designed to create an ironclad environment where campus misconduct can no longer thrive.
“The appointments are expected to help strengthen student discipline and ensure that bullying incidents no longer occur at the institutions,” Asyraf stated, drawing a hard line against campus misconduct.
A rigorous, multi-layered selection
This deployment marks the second phase of Mara’s full-time warden recruitment initiative, building on successful pilot projects launched at MRSM Besut and MRSM Balik Pulau in October last year.
Ultimately, the current phase will see a total of 32 veterans—two men and two women—stationed at each of the eight selected colleges. While the initial cohort of 16 male veterans is now on the ground, the recruitment of their female counterparts is already in overdrive.
Mara has received 162 applications from female veterans, with physical interviews slated for July 2 following an initial online assessment.
Addressing potential concerns over bringing military-style authority into schools, Asyraf stressed that the selection process is exhaustive, highly scientific, and heavily focused on child psychology.
Candidates do not just walk into the role; they undergo an intense gauntlet of screenings managed by Mara’s subsidiary Glokal Link Sdn Bhd (GLSB), the Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV), TalentCorp, and the ATM Psychology and Counselling Section.
Beyond the uniform: mental and physical agility
Out of 147 candidates who advanced to physical interviews at the Mara Higher Skills Institute (IKM) in Kepong, only those with unblemished, honorable service records were considered.
The evaluation process bypasses traditional interviews, subjecting veterans to:
Psychometric & Mental Health Screening: Utilizing MyNext OCEAN and RIASEC testing models.
Physical Endurance: Rigorous BMI assessments and the grueling bleep fitness test.
Specialized Psychological Evaluations: Final-stage biofeedback and psychological assessments conducted by military experts to analyze impulse control, child protection awareness, and the boundaries required for a hostel environment.
“GLSB’s principle is clear — no offer or appointment letter will be issued until all critical screening processes have been completed,” Asyraf reassured, noting that background checks via the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the child sexual offenders registry are mandatory.
Rolling out nationwide
Mara has no intention of stopping at these eight schools. Plans are already underway to scale the programme nationwide to all 58 MRSM campuses, with the third phase scheduled to kick off on January 1, 2027.
By blending structured military discipline with professional psychological screening, Mara is looking to reassure anxious parents and stakeholders that student safety remains an uncompromising priority. – June 30, 2026