Special Task and Rescue

Lasts for one month, in the year 2011, this preparatory course was held in the RMAF Kuala Lumpur Airbase and has been overseen by instructors from PASKAU and STAR.[1] It is a standard orientation among Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Special Forces to weed out the weak and unprepared candidates before proceeding to the next stage of training. It follows the standards set up by MAF Special Forces (PASKAU, PASKAL, 21 GGK).[1]

In the present day, the STAR runs their own orientation training at MMEA's Base, Station and Academy.[10][11] Overseen by veteran STAR instructors, the training is now known as Kursus Pra Asas Komando STAR ('STAR Pre-Basic Commando Course').[11]

During the orientation course implementation, each candidate had to pass three tests which are:

• Test 1 – Physical Test (Water)
• Test 2 – Physical Test (Land)
• Final Test – Fitness Test
  • The fitness test consist of 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) run under 30 minutes, 500 metres (1,600 ft) freestyle swimming under 10 minutes, 500 metres (1,600 ft) sidestroke swimming under 12 minutes, and 500 metres (1,600 ft) mixstyle swimming under 12 minutes.

The objective of this course is to expose and prepare candidates before sending them to the Basic Commando Course held within the three branches of the MAF.[12] This course lasts for two weeks in Teluk Batik, Lumut, Perak and overseen by instructors from PASKAL and STAR.[10]

During this course, trainees will be taught how to build up mental and physical strength and the esprit de corps for the upcoming Basic Commando Course. Trainees also exposed with basic small arms operation, map reading, compass and protractor reading, basic unarmed combat, swimming, long-distance running, navigation, survival effort, and basic marksman training. Training also included first aid, interrogation resistance, and amphibious assault.

This three weeks training is especially to waterborne special forces such as STAR and PASKAL. Trainees who pass the Pre-Basic Commando Course will be trained in the physical aspect of land and water. This training is the final selection process before trainees sent to the Basic Commando Course.

Trainees need to pass two fitness test and one 'drown-proofing' test:

• Fitness Test (Land)
  • 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) run under 34 minutes, 50 push-ups under 90 seconds. 50 sit-ups under 90 seconds, 15 metres (49 ft) rope climbing etc.
• Fitness Test (Water)
  • 500 metres (1,600 ft) freestyle swimming under 10 minutes, 500 metres (1,600 ft) sidestroke swimming under 12 minutes and 500 metres (1,600 ft) mixstyle swimming under 12 minutes, 7 metres (23 ft) dive to pool bottom, 35 metres (115 ft) dive across pool and diving from 10 metres (33 ft) platform.
• 'Drown-proofing' Test
  • 75 metres (246 ft) swim across, 15 minutes float and 5 metres (16 ft) dive to pool bottom; all with arms and legs tied.

Lasts for 12 weeks, STAR candidate will be sent to either RMN Basic Commando Course at RMN Naval Base in Lumut, Perak or RMAF Basic Commando Course at RMAF Regiment Jugra, Selangor. Both RMN and RMAF Commando School is nearby to MMEA Station in Lumut (MD3) and Port Klang (MD4).

In Basic Commando Course, trainees will get through five phases which is:

• Phase 1 – Camp Phase (5 weeks)
• Phase 2 – Jungle Phase (2 weeks)
• Phase 3 – Swamp Phase and Long Range March (1 week)
• Phase 4 – Sea Phase (2 weeks)
• Phase 5 – Escape and Evasion (E&E) (2 weeks)

After graduation, trainees will be bestowed with berets according to the commando school they have entered. Either Maya blue beret[5] for RMAF Commando School, or Magenta beret[12] for RMN Commando School. At this point, the trainees are considered as an unofficial member of the STAR Team.[1]

Once finished the 12 weeks Basic Commando Course, each trainee needs to complete a six weeks Kursus Pengenalan Tindakan Khas ('Special Task Introduction Course') held by the MMEA. During the course, trainees will be exposed to weapon handling, tower training, helicopter-borne training, land and water navigation, survivability and other special operations skills.[3]

In the closing ceremony, trainees will be bestowed with the red beret and STAR's insignia as a symbol that they are officially accepted into the elite unit.[3]

As a special operations force, the STAR operators will be sent to advance training held by the Malaysian Army and Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) training centre.

On 14 November 2009, 25 operators from the STAR team took part in joint training exercises with 11 operators from PASKAL Alpha Team. They trained in close quarters combat and ship boarding and rescue, on board the KD Panglima Hitam, at the RMN Naval Base in Lumut Perak. These exercises were conducted to test whether STAR members were able to perform their duties and responsibilities. The training also involved Maritime Ship (Malay: Kapal Maritim – KM) and boat assets such as KM Gagah vessels and two Kilat boat classes from the Lumut Maritime District (MD3).[13]

7 September 2017 - A plan by 13 Indonesian pirates to rob and hijack Thai-registered oil tanker was foiled by a STAR team from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), near Tenggol Island. The ship, MT Tanker MGT1, had 14 crew members, all of them is Siamese, carried around 2.2 million litres of diesel with an estimated value of 7 million ringgit (1.66 million US dollars) when it disappeared from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) on Wednesday afternoon. It was on its way from Thailand to deliver fuel to Johor. The MMEA received a report from a local fisherman who spotted the pirates on a smaller boat boarding the Thai vessel – MT Tanker MGT1 – about three nautical miles from Yu Besar Island. STAR team was deployed to launch a rescue mission. The team departed for the tanker's last known location via helicopter but when they arrived, found the tanker missing. The boat was spotted near the tanker by a surveillance aircraft, warning shots were fired from the aircraft when the boat tried to escape but the attempt to stop them failed as the aircraft was running low on fuel. A team stormed the tanker, off the coast of Terengganu and arrested 10 pirates.[2] Following the arrest of the pirates and their subsequent interrogation, Malaysian authorities arrested the mastermind, an Indonesian in his 50s, at a hotel in Johor Bahru at noon.[15]

1 June 2018 - 14 pirates were arrested aboard MT Bright by a STAR team, 25 nautical miles off the coast of Mersing within Malaysian waters during a pre-dawn raid. Before the arrest, command centre reported that the pirates were robbing a Mongolian-registered merchant vessel, MT Lee Bo, and took all the crew's personal items but failed to rob the cargo as the ship was empty. Following this, KM Sebatik ship was tasked to trail Lee Bo and gather more information on the pirates. Upon reaching the ship, Sebatik crew found 12 ship crews on board the ship and the vital information that the pirates were using machetes as a weapon and their last seen position. Information was relayed to the command centre, and a team of seven STAR members were scrambled using AW139 helicopters to track the pirates. The pirates' ship was identified as MT Bright, and the STAR team rappelled down from their helicopter and arrested all 14 on board. During interrogation, details on the mastermind were spilt by the pirates, and MMEA strategic partner, the Indonesian Western Fleet Quick Response - Angkatan Laut (WFQR-AL) were alerted and they managed to arrest two masterminds at Batam, Indonesia.[16][17][18]