RIMBA AIR FORCE BASE, Monday, 8 April 2019 – The Royal Brunei Air Force received a farewell visit from Major General Mervyn Tan, the former Chief of Republic of Singapore Air Force. Upon arrival at the Royal Brunei Air Force Headquarters, Major General Mervyn Tan received the General Salute and inspected the Guard of Honour performed by 52 personnel of the Royal Brunei Air Force led by Captain (U) Mohamad Wafiy bin Hj Mohd Salleh.
This visit programme is later followed by a farewell call to the Commander of Royal Brunei Air Force, Brigadier General (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sahat in the Royal Brunei Air Force Headquarters. Subsequently, the programme continued with Major General Mervyn Tan’s farewell calls to the Second Minister of Defence, The Honourable Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Md Yussof and Acting Commander Royal Brunei Armed Forces, First Admiral Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad at the Ministry of Defence in Bolkiah Garrison.
Major General Mervyn Tan conducted his Introductory Visit to Brunei Darussalam on 11 October 2016 where he was presented with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Honorary Pilot Wing in recognition of his outstanding service, valuable efforts and contributions in strengthening ties between The Royal Brunei Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. He has been replaced by Brigadier General Kelvin Khong as the new Chief of Air Force for the Republic of Singapore Air Force on 22 March 2019.
Prior to holding the Chief of Air Force post, Major General Mervyn Tan was the Director of Intelligence and Chief of C4I for the Singapore Armed Forces’ Military Intelligence Organisation. He graduated from the SAF Officer Cadet School in 1991 and has held both senior command and staff appointments in the SAF. Some of the significant achievements of the RSAF under his leadership include the conduct of air defence operations during the DPRK-USA Singapore Summit as well as the alleged bomb threat aboard the Scoot flight TR634, the participation in the Defeat-IS coalition efforts in the Middle East, the contributions to regional and international Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions.
LAWATAN PERPISAHAN MANTAN KETUA TURUS TENTERA UDARA REPUBLIK SINGAPURA KE TENTERA UDARA DIRAJA BRUNEI
PANGKALAN TENTERA UDARA RIMBA, Isnin 8 April 2019 – Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei pada hari ini telah menerima lawatan perpisahan daripada Yang Mulia Mejar Jeneral Mervyn Tan, Mantan Panglima Tentera Udara Republik Singapura. Sejurus tiba di Markas Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei, Yang Mulia Mejar Jeneral Mervyn Tan menerima Tabik Hormat dan memeriksa Kawalan Kehormatan yang terdiri daripada 52 anggota Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei yang diketuai oleh Kapten (U) Mohamad Wafiy bin Hj Mohd Salleh.
Aturcara lawatan seterusnya diikuti dengan kunjungan perpisahan keatas Pemerintah Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei, Brigedier Jeneral (U) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Hamzah bin Hj Sahat di Markas Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei. Seterusnya, Mejar Jeneral Mervyn Tan juga telah mengadakan kunjungan perpisahan kepada Menteri Pertahanan Kedua, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (Bersara) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Md Yussof dan Pemangku Pemerintah Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, Laksamana Pertama Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi Bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad di Kementerian Pertahanan di Bolkiah Garrison.
Mejar Jeneral Mervyn Tan sebelum ini telah membuat Lawatan Pengenalan ke Negara Brunei Darusalam pada bulan 11 Oktober 2016 dimana beliau telah menerima Lencana Juruterbang Kehormat Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei sebagai tanda penghargaan ke atas perkhidmatan cemerlang, usaha-usaha bernilai dan sumbangan beliau dalam mengeratkan hubungan antara Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei dan Tentera Udara Republik Singapura. Beliau telah digantikan oleh Brigedier Jeneral Kelvin Khong sebagai Ketua Turus Tentera Udara Republik Singapura pada 22 Mac 2019.
Sebelum menjadi Ketua Turus Tentera Udara Republik Singapura, beliau memegang jawatan sebagai Pengarah Perisikan dan C4I untuk Organisasi Perisikan Tentera, Angkatan Tentera Republik Singapura. Beliau telah lulus menjalani latihan Sekolah Pegawai Kadet Angkatan Tentera Republik Singapura pada tahun 1991 dan pernah memegang jawatan-jawatan kanan dalam bidang operasi dan Pegawai Staf. Pencapaian Tentera Udara Republik Singapura semasa dibawah pimpinan beliau termasuklah mengendalikan operasi Pertahanan Udara semasa Sidang Kemuncak Amerika Syarikat – Korea Utara dan menangani ancaman bom di dalam penerbangan Scoot TR634, penglibatan dalam gabungan antarabangsa memerangi kumpulan IS di Timur Tengah serta sumbangan terhadap misi Bantuan Kemanusiaan dan Bencana Alam di persada serantau dan antarabangsa.