| Unit Name: | Special Warfare Training Centre |
| Native Name: | Malay: Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khusus Arabic: ڤوست لاتيهن ڤڤراڠن خصوص |
| Type: | Special Operations Training Centre |
| Role: | To recruit, assess, select, train, and educate members of the Malaysian Army's 21 GGK and the Malaysian Armed Forces. This is achieved by offering basic and advanced special operations training, education, and doctrine. |
| Command Structure: | Malaysian Army Training and Doctrine Command |
| Garrison: | Sungai Udang Camp, Malacca |
| Nickname: | "Kilang Gerak Khas" ('Gerak Khas Factory') |
| Motto: | Pengetahuan Kejayaan ('Knowledge Success') |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Beret Flash |
| Commander1: | Lieutenant Colonel Valzahmer Errino Mohd Tahir |
| Commander1 Label: | Commandant |
The Special Warfare Training Centre (: SWTC; Malay: '''Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khusus''' — PULPAK; Jawi: ڤوست لاتيهن ڤڤراڠن خصوص) is a Malaysian Army training centre located at the Sungai Udang Camp in Malacca. Its primary purpose is to conduct special forces selection and to provide specialised courses and training for personnel from the 21st Special Service Group, 10th Parachute Brigade, and other elite units of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) (Malay: Angkatan Tentera Malaysia — ATM) to strengthen Malaysia's defensive garrison against enemies and terrorists.[1]
The SWTC also provides training to personnel from the Royal Malaysian Police, the Malaysian Coast Guard, the Johor Military Force, and the special forces of neighbouring nations, such as Brunei, Myanmar, and the Maldives.[2] [3]
The SWTC is managed by the 21st Special Service Group and administered by the Army Training and Doctrine Command (Malay: Markas Pemerintahan Latihan dan Doktrin Tentera Darat). The technical control of SWTC is overseen by the Special Forces Operation Cell (Malay: Sel Operasi Pasukan Khusus — SOPASUS) of the Operations and Training Wing (Malay: Cawangan Operasi dan Latihan — OPLAT) of the Malaysian Army Command (Malay: Markas Tentera Darat).[4]
Regional political and military changes in Southeast Asia led to the idea of establishing a special training facility to provide personnel with specialised knowledge, particularly for Gerak Khas members. On 1 August 1976, the training centre was established at Sungai Udang Camp in Malacca as Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khas Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PLPK ATM). By 1 January 1977, the centre had become fully operational and had begun conducting special forces selection.[5]
In 1979, the training centre expanded its role to become a comprehensive military school, teaching a variety of special operations skills. Before 1979, MAF's special operations personnel received specialised training at overseas military academies. The rising costs of sending personnel overseas contributed to the development of SWTC. Prior to the foundation of SWTC, members of the 1st Malaysian Special Service Regiment (now known as the 21st Commando Regiment) conducted fundamental courses such as the Basic Commando Course .
In 1985, PLPK ATM was renamed Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khas Tentera Darat (PLPK TD) after the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) began conducting their own special forces selection at their respective bases.
In 1995, PLPK TD changed its name once more when all training institutes under the Malaysian Army were renamed in accordance with the creation of the Army Training and Doctrine Command . It is currently called the Special Warfare Training Centre or Pusat Latihan Peperangan Khusus in Malay and is popularly known by the abbreviation of its Malay name, PULPAK. The centre is no longer under the administration of the 21st Special Service Group but is now administered by the Army Training and Doctrine Command.
The SWTC's objectives are to provide specialised training and courses to all military personnel according to the current situation. SWTC's tasks include:
At SWTC, most instructors come from the 21st Special Service Group and the 10th Parachute Brigade. They ensure their knowledge and skills are up-to-date by attending military schools in other countries.[6] [7] [8]
SWTC comprises five training wings, each offering specialised courses.
| Name | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Colonel Hussin bin Awang Senik, | 1 January 1977 – 1 March 1978 | |
| Colonel Borhan bin Ahmad | 1 March 1978 – 1 January 1981 | |
| Colonel Hasbullah bin Yusof | 1 January 1981 – 16 November 1983 | |
| Colonel Mohd Ramli bin Ismail | 16 November 1983 – 16 January 1987 | |
| Colonel Ghazali bin Ibrahim | 16 January 1987 – 16 January 1990 | |
| Colonel Zainuddin bin Taib | 16 January 1990 – 1 August 1991 | |
| Colonel Ahmad Rodi bin Zakaria | 1 August 1991 – 1 May 1995 | |
| Colonel Mohd Shahrin bin Hj. Abd Majid | 1 May 1995 – 16 May 1997 | |
| Colonel Muhamad Yasin bin Yahya | 16 May 1997 |