57-Year-Old Rohana Jupri Becomes The Royal Malaysian Navy's First Woman Admiral
Rohana is from Selangor and has been with the navy for 36 years.
By Sadho Ram — 19 Dec 2020, 01:22 PM
In a historic first, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has promoted Captain Rohana Jupri — a woman — to the rank of First Admiral
Prior to this, Rohana had made history in 2017 when she was promoted to the rank of Captain in RMN, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the navy's history.
Back then she had hoped to be the navy's first woman Admiral, a dream she has now achieved.
Rohana, a mother of four children, is the first woman to be promoted to the rank since the establishment of the RMN 86 years ago
This is an achievement for Rohana, said RMN Commander Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany.
"She held the position of Senior Director of Materials at the RMN headquarters and also Assistant Chief of Staff (AKS) J4 (Logistics) in the National Task Force (NTF). This indirectly places her on par with the top line-up of the Admiral Committee (JLAKS) group previously pioneered by men," he said.
Rohana is from Selangor and has been with the navy for 36 years
She was among four senior officers promoted in a ceremony launched by RMN Commander Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany at KD Sri Gombak in Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 18 December.
He said the selection of Rohana proved that the woman's ability and credibility were recognised by the RMN other than a sign of appreciation for her efforts and ability in her over three decades of service.
The 57-year-old was born in Tanjong Karang and joined the RMN on 20 December 1984.
Speaking about her promotion, Rohana said it's the highest recognition she has received throughout her years of service and hopes that more women candidates will now follow in her footsteps
"This goes to show that women do have roles to play in the navy and their presence is acknowledged by the top management. I have confidence that our women officers and personnel can discharge the duties entrusted to them excellently," she was quoted as saying by New Straits Times.
According to Rohana, while the navy is largely male-dominated, there is no reason women shouldn't strive for excellence in their chosen career with strength and confidence.
"Everyone is given equal opportunities to excel in the navy and it is up to the person to prove his or her worth," she said.
"For me, I do not give myself any excuses when I face any challenges, including the time when I was deployed without my family with me. I also took extra courses and pursued a Masters degree to better myself. Women can always rise higher when they have determination, willpower, knowledge and experience."
Meanwhile, RMN chief Admiral Mohd Reza said that Rohana, whose services are on a par with her male colleagues, outshone them all
"I hope her success will be a source of inspiration to all the navy community, especially the women officers and personnel. I believe she will become an inspiration to many, who would want to follow in her footsteps," he said.
