Yeop Mahidin Bin Mohamed Shafiff

Yeop Mahidin bin Mohamed Shariff (20 February 1918 – 1999) was the first Director of Rejimen Askar Wataniah, the reserves component of the Malaysian Army. He was widely regarded as the “Father of Wataniah” for his efforts in establishing the Rejimen Askar Wataniah as a credible force.

Yeop Mahidin was born on 20 February 1918 in Parit, Perak to a Customs officer. He was educated at the Anderson School and a keen boxer who was a bantam weight champion. He was a keen footballer, and was active in field hockey and cricket, in which he was once given the “Batsman Of The Year” award.

According to his family, Yeop Mahidin came from a long line of silat exponents who served as protectors to the Perak Sultanate. His children,both the men and the women in the family are known as efficient fighters with a style of fighting handed down over generations. One of his sons, named Mokhtar, nicknamed Apin, went on to establish the largest silat schools in the United Kingdom.He is known as the Mahaguru Silat Gayong or Grand Master of Silat Gayong.

He aspired to join the Malay Regiment but was discouraged to do so by his headmaster L.D Whitfield who wanted him to join the Malayan Civil Service. In 1937, Yeop Mahidin went to the Malay College to prepare him for life in the Civil Service.

In 1938, Yeop Mahidin was appointed a magistrate in Telok Anson (now Teluk Intan) before transferring to Kajang in 1939. In 1940 he again transferred, this time to Kuala Lipis as Assistant District Officer. He joined the local Malay State Volunteer Rifles Reserve and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.

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