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Camp Mindef

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Camp Mindef
Kem Kementah
كم كمنته‎
Part of Kuala Lumpur Garrison
Kuala Lumpur
Near Kampung Datuk Keramat in Malaysia
Site information
TypeMilitary base
OwnerMinistry of Defence
Operator Kuala Lumpur Garrison
Open to
the public		no
Area~172 hectares (1.72 km2)
Site history
Built1957 (1957)
Built forMinistry of Defence
Built byMalaysian Public Works Department
In use1960–present
Garrison information
Garrison
Occupants

Camp Mindef (Malay: Kem Kementah; Jawi: كم كمنته‎) is a metonym for the military base that houses the main administrative headquarters of the Ministry of Defence, known as Wisma Pertahanan (lit. 'Defence Complex'). The name "MINDEF" is an abbreviation of Ministry of Defence in English, while "KEMENTAH" is its Malay counterpart, derived from Kementerian Pertahanan.[1]

The base is situated along Jalan Padang Tembak in Kuala Lumpur, within the metropolitan centre of the capital, and forms part of the Kuala Lumpur Garrison, alongside Camp Batu Kentomen.[1]

In addition to serving as the administrative headquarters of the Ministry of Defence, Camp Mindef also functions as a joint-service military base for the Malaysian Armed Forces, encompassing all three service branches: the Malaysian Army, the Royal Malaysian Navy, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Owing to the presence of Wisma Pertahanan within the base, Camp Mindef is home to several senior defence leadership offices, including those of the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Forces, the Chief of Army, the Chief of Navy, and the Chief of Air Force.[1]

History

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Background: Pre-Independence Malaya

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Prior to the independence of Malaya from British rule in August 1957, the administration of military operations fell under the jurisdiction of the War Office in London, with regional command based at Malaya Command in the Colony of Singapore. In early 1957, as part of preparations for the transfer of military authority to the soon-to-be-independent Malayan government, the headquarters of Malaya Command was relocated to Camp Sungai Besi. This transition included the gradual handover of locally raised units, such as the Royal Malay Regiment, to Malayan control.[1][2]

Independence and the First Camp Mindef at Brockman Road

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The Ministry of Defence was established on 31 August 1957, coinciding with the nation's independence. The first Defence Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, set up his office in a colonial-era estate house situated on a hill near Brockman Road (now Jalan Dato' Onn) in Kuala Lumpur. The surrounding area became known as the original Camp Mindef.[1]

During this period, plans were approved to construct a permanent Ministry of Defence complex at Padang Tembak (rifle range), near the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) and to the south of the Hawthornden Estate (present-day Wangsa Maju). The site of the present-day Tugu Negara (National War Memorial) lies in close proximity to the former Camp Mindef at Brockman Road.[3]

Relocation to Jalan Padang Tembak

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Following independence in 1957, the Federation of Malaya began assuming control over British military assets. A parcel of land previously utilised by the British Military Administration as a rifle range—surrounded by forest and low hills—was allocated to the Ministry of Defence as the site for its permanent headquarters. At the time, the area was accessible only from Pulapol via Rifle Range Road, which is today known by its Malay name, Jalan Padang Tembak.[4][5]

Historically, this area was home to a Malay rice-farming settlement known as Kampong Gonggang (كامڤوڠ ڬوڠڬڠ‎), established circa the 1870s by Malay settlers of Siak descent. Located southwest of the present-day Camp Mindef, the settlement included cultivated land and a Muslim cemetery, indicating a well-established local community. The earliest recorded reference to the area dates to 1296 AH (1879), when a local noble and his entourage were appointed by the Sultan of Selangor, confirming the settlement's existence for taxation purposes. In 1891, the village and its cemetery were relocated to what is now Ampang, and the original site was renamed Gonggang.[6]

The vacated land was subsequently leased for commercial purposes and developed into a rubber plantation, later transitioning into a tin mining site worked by Chinese immigrants brought in under British administration. In 1940, the Federated Malay States Police relocated its training centre from the Bluff Road Police Station (now Bukit Aman) to a location west of present-day Camp Mindef. The surrounding hilly terrain, especially Bukit Dinding (975 feet (297 m) in elevation), provided a natural barrier, making the area ideal for use as a rifle range.[3]

The site was ultimately selected due to its relatively flat topography, which offered favourable conditions for development compared to the more elevated Brockman Road location. Its proximity to both Camp Wardieburn and Pulapol was also considered advantageous for logistical and operational support.[2][4]

In March 1960, the first structure—a two-storey stone building—was completed and officially inaugurated by Tun Abdul Razak, then serving as Minister of Defence. The ministry subsequently relocated its operations to the new site. By 1967, a larger complex comprising six four-storey blocks was completed adjacent to the original building, which became the new headquarters of the Malaysian Armed Forces.[1][4]

Among the early military units stationed at Camp Mindef was the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Malaysian Army, which formed part of the base's original garrison.[7]

Relocation of Armed Forces' Branches Headquarters

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In 1985, a newly constructed 20-storey tower block, named Wisma Kementah (commonly referred to as Wisma Pertahanan), was completed on the site of the original 1960 building. This development enabled the headquarters of the Malaysian Army, the Royal Malaysian Navy, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force to be consolidated within a single location for the first time. Prior to this, the Army Command was based at Camp Imphal, the Navy Command at Lumut Naval Base, and the Air Force Command at RMAF Kuala Lumpur Airbase.[8]

The relocation was part of a broader effort to centralise the senior military leadership of the Malaysian Armed Forces under one facility—mirroring organisational models such as the Pentagon in the United States or the MOD Whitehall in the United Kingdom.[1]

Kuala Lumpur Garrison

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On 18 January 2024, Camp Mindef and Camp Batu Kentomen were formally unified under a single administrative entity known as the Kuala Lumpur Garrison. Camp Batu Kentomen, located in Sentul approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Camp Mindef.[9]

The Kuala Lumpur Garrison functions as a base administration command responsible for overseeing infrastructure, maintenance, support services, and facility management for both locations. This includes administrative buildings at Camp Mindef and residential quarters at both Camp Mindef and Camp Batu Kentomen.[note 1][9]

Tenants

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Camp Mindef hosts a wide range of administrative, operational, and support units from across the Ministry of Defence and the Malaysian Armed Forces. Among its key tenants are:[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ Camp Batu Kentonmen is a military base serving multiple functions, including as a training centre, a depot for military transport vehicles, and a residential area for military personnel. The Kuala Lumpur Garrison is responsible solely for managing the residential quarters.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Ministry of Defence. "Latar Belakang". www.mod.gov.my (in Malay). Archived from the original on 2025-06-01. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  2. ^ a b Jabatan Arah dan Infantri (2008). Pahlawan RAMD "Taat Setia" 1933–2008 (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Markas Tentera Darat.
  3. ^ a b Shaharir, Syahrul Sazli (2024-01-06). "Gonggang / Setapak (1850-an)". Cebisan Sejarah Kuala Lumpur (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  4. ^ a b c National Archive of Malaysia (1967-04-06). "Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah: PERASMIAN BANGUNAN KEMENTERIAN PERTAHANAN PADANG TEMBAK, KUALA LUMPUR". hids.arkib.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  5. ^ National Archive of Malaysia (1975-04-03). "PERASMIAN PERSIDANGAN PANGLIMA-PANGLIMA ANGKATAN TENTERA DI KEMENTAH". hids.arkib.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  6. ^ Shaharir, Syahrul Sazli (2024-01-26). "Kampung Gonggang". Cebisan Sejarah Kuala Lumpur (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-27.
  7. ^ Malaysian Armed Forces. "Sejarah Perpustakaan Kementah". mod.gov.my. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  8. ^ National Archives of Malaysia (1988-02-05). "Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah: Wisma Kementah Dirasmi". hids.arkib.gov.my (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  9. ^ a b Malaysian Armed Forces. "Garison Kuala Lumpur". Retrieved 2025-06-26.
  10. ^ Malaysian Armed Forces. "Organisasi – Garison Kuala Lumpur" (in Malay). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
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