Kuala lumpur: The Royal Malaysia Police's (PDRM) VAT 69 Commando team successfully defended its title in the team category of the 2026 Department of Internal Security and Public Order (KDNKA) Obstacle Course Challenge, securing a third consecutive championship.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, DSP Wan Nurisham Wan Isa, commander of Bravo Squadron, VAT 69 Commando, Special Operations Force (PGK), Ulu Kinta, Perak, said the victory was the result of 56 days of intensive training focused on building stamina, physical endurance, and operational readiness, as well as a series of trial runs on the competition course.

Wan Nurisham, who also served as the VAT 69 Commando's obstacle course coordinator, noted that the team faced an added challenge when rain on the day of the competition forced them to change their strategy, but they still managed to retain the title. "Our biggest challenge was the weather. Most of our training was conducted in dry conditions, although we trained in the morning, at midday, in the afternoon, and late in the day. We did not expect the rain this morning, so we had to adjust our strategy," he said. He shared these insights with reporters after the closing ceremony of the 2026 KDNKA Obstacle Course Challenge at the General Operations Force (GOF) Central Brigade Shooting Range in Cheras.

Wan Nurisham emphasized that the team will continue to groom a new generation of personnel to ensure it can retain the title in future editions of the competition. Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Department of Internal Security and Public Order (KDNKA) director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri highlighted that the four-day annual competition, which began on July 19, involved 20 teams comprising 320 officers and personnel from various KDNKA formations.

He explained that participants had to complete 14 checkpoints designed to test their physical fitness, mental resilience, tactical skills, decision-making under pressure, and ability to work as a team. Mohd Yusri remarked that the competition, which has been a KDNKA tradition for decades, aims to enhance operational readiness and the professionalism of officers and personnel in carrying out their duties to safeguard internal security and maintain public order.

He further stated that participants represented various KDNKA units, including the Special Actions Unit (UTK), VAT 69 Commando, and GOF battalions. "As expected, elite units such as the UTK and VAT 69 Commando were among the frontrunners in the competition. However, I see this positively as it serves as a catalyst for other battalions and units to continue training and improve their capabilities. The individual event, won by a participant from the Sabah Brigade, followed by personnel from the VAT 69 Commando and the UTK, shows that personnel across KDNKA possess comparable capabilities, with the outcome depending on their level of preparation and training," he said.