The Royal Johor Military Force

The Royal Johor Military Force (Abbr.: JMF; Malay: Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri Johor — ATSNJ; Jawi: عسكر تيمبلن ستيا نڬري جوهر) is an independent military force of the state of Johor and the private royal guard of Sultan of Johor in Malaysia. The JMF is Malaysia's oldest active military unit still in operation and the only military in the Federation that is maintained by a state.The force comes under the control of the Sultan. Its headquarters are located at Sultan Ibrahim Camp, Johor Bahru.

The retention of the army was one of the stipulations in 1946 which Johor made when it participated in the Federation of Malaya. The Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of Malaysia states that the Malaysian federal government is solely responsible for foreign policy and military forces in the country.The JMF will be involved under the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) during any kind of emergency and armed conflict as an infantry unit.

The JMF was established and raised in 1886 during the reign of the first Sultan of Modern Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar. Johor was the first and only Malay state (the Federated Malay States and the Unfederated Malay States) to have its modern military force. At the time there was no other Malay state with its own army.Its inception was based on the Anglo-Johor Treaty of 1885 signed by Sultan Abu Bakar and Queen Victoria in London, the United Kingdom to uphold peace and protect Johor including Singapore from outside threats then.On the basis of the treaty, Sultan Abu Bakar gave his support to the established of a British-controlled police force, namely Pasukan Setia Negeri ('Loyal State Force'), inside Johor.The Johore Constabulary Forces were then established by the Sultan to act as a backup for the British organised police and also to balance the authority given to them.It is later renamed to Timbalan Setia Negeri (TSN; transl. 'Loyal State Deputy').

Initially, the TSN was formed with only 60 Johorean Malays and led by Syed Mohammed Nong Yahya, who was a police officer in the British Police Force. They were tasked to protect the Sultan as bodyguards, and also to work together with the British Police Forces to enforces the law. In the same time, the Sultan also employed 20 Sikh soldiers led by Major Daud Sulaiman as the Istana ('Palace') Guard tasked to protect the royal palaces' surroundings.One year after its establishment, the Sultan upgraded the forces into a military force and changed its name into Angkatan Timbalan Setia Negeri (ATSN; transl. 'Loyal State Deputy Forces'). The Malays members were trained as infantry soldiers while the Sikhs as artillery gunners. An English army officer, Captain Newland was appointed as the Officer commanding (OC) of the unit.Even upgraded into a military unit, the ATSN still entrusted with the roles of protecting public safety and enforcing the law. Their job at this time is similar to the Gendarmerie.

In 1895, Sultan Ibrahim was appointed as JMF Colonel Commandant and the Force was further strengthened by the formation of the Johor Volunteer Forces (JVF). In the early 1900s, the name was changed to its current title — Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri (ATSN; transl. 'Loyal State Deputy Troops'). The current English name, the Johor Military Forces (JMF), was introduced in 1905 after three of its main unit (Infantry, Artillery and the Istana Guard) were merged into one. The JMF personnel was increased to 576 in 1915: 394 infantry soldiers, 98 artillery soldiers and 84 other personnel. Sultan Ibrahim then appointed Lieutenant Colonel Tompkins and Sergeant Major Claymore to provide training and instruction. Sultan Ibrahim was the first ruler to bestow new Royal Military colours to the JMF during a Presentation of Colours ceremony when the force celebrated its 30th anniversary on 11 May 1916. In 1940 and 1941, Sultan Ibrahim sent a small number of officers to Dehra Dun, India to undergo military training aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Johor military. In 1942, after the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the JMF was disbanded and later been revived back in c. 1948