The many faces of Janius

2010/06/24

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BANGI: Growing up in Tamparuli, Sabah, Ahmad Janius Abdullah never thought that one day, he would be crossing oceans and stepping on the podium of success in various endeavours.

It must be hard for a young Kadazan lad who is one of the 12 siblings (five boys and seven girls) to set his sights too far into the future.

But one interest burned with an undying flame in young Janius -- boxing. He was so keen to excel in boxing that at the age of 18, he joined the army because he knew he could obtain professional training in that sport there.

It probably wasn't practical for a boy from Tamparuli, a sub-district of Tuaran in the west coast of Sabah, to set his ambitions too high. But fate had other ideas for Janius.

Before long, his boxing skills reaped rewards. At the age of 21, at the 4th Sukma Games in Johor in 1992, Janius emerged champion in the 51kg Flyweight category.

This proud Kadazan son who hails from a small town where life wasn't always easy is gentle in manner and his eyes twinkle with a tinge of mischievousness.

His warm handshake does not reflect his 15 years in the army as a commando. It is firm yet not hard, and gentle yet not yielding.

"I actually volunteered for the commando unit when I enlisted," said Janius. His dedication to his chosen profession later made him a member of two of the country's top commando units, Elite 21 and Elite 22.

He received his military training in Sungai Udang, Malacca and in Kuala Kubu Baru. For a decade and a half, his interest in boxing never waned. Stocky in build and with biceps bigger than an ordinary person's calves, Janius looks like he could easily pick up a man and throw him across the room.

That he could do because he was also the weight-lifting champion from 1994 to 1998. His employer, Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, recognised the strongman it had in its ranks and swiftly included him in the Commonwealth Games.

Janius travelled to Bulgaria, Australia, Taiwan and the Middle East for further intensive training.

His house is stacked full of trophies and plaques for achievements in boxing and weight-lifting. Among them is the trophy for being the weight-lifting champion in the 76kg and below category.

After 15 years in the army, Janius left the army when his contract expired. Even though he had a pension, it wasn't enough to support his family.

He opened up a small shop in Section 15, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor in 2004. His business was selling insurance and event promotion. He put up a small display case of mementos from his army days.

These military items turned out to be a major draw at his shop. Customers who frequented his outlet showed great interest in his army gear and clamoured for those items.

The success of that shop and his military articles prompted the ex-commando to expand his horizon.

In 2006, together with an Indonesian partner, he opened a branch in Bandung, Indonesia. He has business dealings with the Indonesian army, Tentera Nasional Indonesia.

In January this year, Janius opened his third outlet, RNJ Venture Sdn Bhd at Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

RNJ stands for Rafidah (his wife) and Janius. "Ladies come first," said Janius with a laugh.

At his Bandar Baru Bangi outlet, his business includes other services like general and motor insurance, road tax renewal and the sale of boxing and weight-lifting equipment.

Today, Janius, 39, is on the fast track of the entrepreneurial highway to strengthen a business he knows so well. His marriage of 13 years to Rafidah has produced two sons, aged 9 and 3.

This soft-spoken man with deadly physical skills was reluctant to talk about his commando days except to say that it wasn't a bed of roses and that it involved iron discipline.

He however did relate an unusual experience while on a jungle mission as part of a five-man team.

One day in the gloom of the dense jungle, he distinctly heard his name being called. Janius was turning to respond when one of his team-mates stopped him. He was promptly told that all five of them were together and nobody else knew their whereabouts.

Janius said that was the only paranormal phenomenon he had ever experienced during jungle training.

Today, the man whom friends and colleagues have nicknamed Mat Kommando is enjoying good business at his Amcorp Mall shop.

His outlet specialises in military gear like tactical face masks, flashlights, army T-shirts, survival equipment, knives, military caps, tactical belts and vests, special footwear and military backpacks.

His items move fast. Customers, especially men, have become loyal clients. New stocks are brought in regularly to satisfy the increasing demand.

To source for new gadgets and tactical devices, Janius travels to Thailand every month and China every two months.

He also makes frequent visits to Indonesia to meet his business partner and source for popular military products.

Janius' affable and benign demeanour belies his previous career as an ex-commando. He is a jovial guy who is given to easy and contagious laughter.

The warrior heart that beats strongly in his muscular Kadazan physique has won him many friends in the few short years he has spent as an entrepreneur.

Read more: The many faces of Janius http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/08stcomando/Article/#ixzz0xggRA5jP