'Parti yeye': Army officer reminisces hard days battling immoral culture

'Parti yeye': Army officer reminisces hard days battling immoral culture

Hariz Mohd
Published: Jan 14, 2026 8:00 PM
Updated: 11:03 PM



An officer with the Armed Forces Islamic Services Corp (Kagat) today shared the ups and downs of his journey opposing an immoral culture of wild parties among service members, which is now widely known as “parti yeye”.

According to Shafarif Ghani, he began facing obstacles ever since he was posted as a Kagat officer to an infantry unit that was famous for such culture circa 2010.

The unit, which he did not specify, was so synonymous with “parti yeye” that some other units referred to it as “Pulayeh” - a cynical short form of Pusat Latihan Yeyeh (Yeyeh Training Centre).

"Since the early days (of my time in the unit), parties and entertainment events were held almost every week at the officers' mess hall and bar, with activities that clearly violated military and religious values.

"But I was still a YO (young officer) back then, and luckily I was ordered to only stay in my room instead of having to participate in these parties," he said, adding that he believed it was a form of protection by God.

Shafarif, who holds the rank of major, posted his writing on Facebook this morning.

Such parties were so widespread that Shafarif said he at times encountered officers still partying in the mess hall when he returned from morning prayer, or smelled alcohol on some of them during morning parades.

Some officers dared to bring women into their room, he recalled.

Mustering courage

Shouldering the heavy tasks of handling religious affairs and promoting Islamic values at the unit, Shafarif knew he had to do something to curb the immoral activities despite knowing the risks, especially if they involved officers who far outranked him.

In one instance, the officer said he managed to muster some courage to knock on the door of a far more senior officer, who had brought a woman into his room.

But Shafarif's boldness was not received well by some and at times had led to him being summoned by superior officers and reprimanded.

"I have accepted that the position I took and my principles would not be without their tests.

"Over the years, I have been subjected to various forms of punishment and disciplinary actions. Some I could endure with an open heart, but there were also those that felt just too heavy to go through.

"However, I was confident that Allah knows best and He is the ultimate judge, so every test has helped to teach me about patience, to be more careful and to only put my trust in Him," he said.


Improved situation

Nonetheless, Kagat’s efforts to inculcate Islamic values among Muslim armed forces members bore fruit.

While its programmes and campaigns could not change all, Shafarif recalled how the situation had improved over the years.

According to the father of four, the culture of “parti yeye” has been diminishing over time, albeit yet to be totally eradicated in the military.

Shafarif said many army generals, high-ranking officers and personnel have improved their lifestyle; they now attend congregation prayers regularly and observe voluntary fasting every Monday and Thursday.

"It is not an exaggeration if I say that some of them are even more pious than some individuals called 'ustaz'.

"There are also several retired generals and senior officers who continue 'mengaji' (learning Quran reading) with me online.

"One of the people whom I feel very proud of is a former infantry personnel member who began learning the Quran when we participated in an operation together, and now he has been appointed as an imam in his hometown," shared Shafarif.

Shafarif pointed out that the changes did not come overnight, but were a result of continuous efforts by Kagat officers since it was established in 1985.


Addressing misconception

He also wished to clarify a misconception about Kagat, which some had mistakenly likened its roles to those of state religious departments.

The officer said Kagat officers are posted to units in the armed forces where they serve alongside other soldiers, including conducting military operations, digging defensive trenches, and are given the same training as others.

At the same time, Kagat officers are also tasked with the responsibility of strengthening the spiritual development of military officers, he added.

Shafarif holds a doctorate in Arabic linguistics from the International Islamic University Malaysia and is furthering his master’s in military sciences at the Saudi Command and Staff College in Riyadh.

His Facebook post came in the wake of recent scandals that hit the armed forces, including on alleged immoral activities among its members.

The “parti yeye” scandal erupted after allegations surfaced on social media, claiming its officers were involved in hosting wild parties, with some users publishing pictures of such events and urging the authorities to investigate.

Some netizens also claimed that low-ranking officers were forced to provide alcoholic drinks and women from outside the camps for their superiors.

This prompted the Defence Ministry to order an investigation into these allegations.

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Uncle said 'Two sides to every story'.