This rank insignia was worn by Choong Kim Siew, a Leading Seaman with the Royal Malaysian Navy. In 1957, Choong joined what was then known as the Royal Malayan Navy. The navy was responsible for the maritime defence of the newly-independent Malaya and was heavily involved in conflicts such as the Malayan Emergency and Konfrontasi. The Royal Malayan Navy was renamed in 1963 to reflect the formation of Malaysia.
