Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Colonel Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah (preferred to be known as Pehin Tawih) was born on 9th Jun 1964 in Brunei Darussalam.

He began his career in the military on 6th December 1982 when he enlisted as a potential officer cadet in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and underwent a six-month basic recruit training at the Recruit Training Centre, Bolkiah Camp. Upon completion of the basic recruit training, he was appointed as an Officer Cadet in the RBAF on 1st July 1983. Later, he was sent to Officer Cadet School, Portsea, Australia to undergo the officer cadet training from January 1984 to December 1984. He graduated from Officer Cadet School, Portsea and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1984.

Pehin Colonel Mohd Tawih’s first tour of duty was as a Rifle Platoon Commander with ‘D’ Company 1st Battalion Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF). In 1985, whilst on his tour as a Platoon Commander, he attended the Platoon Commander Course at The Malaysian Army Land Training Centre (PULADA), Johor Malaysia.

From 1986 to 1990, Pehin Colonel Mohd Tawih served as an Engineer Field Troop Commander. During that tenure, he attended the Royal Engineer Young Officer Course at the Royal School of Military Engineering, Chattenden Barracks, Kent, England in 1987 to 1988.

In 1990, Colonel Pehin Mohd Tawih was promoted to the rank of Captain. He was the Staff Officer Grade 3 G1 (Personnel and Administration) at Headquarters Task Force (presently the Headquarters Royal Brunei Land Force) from 1990 to 1993; Company Commander of G/B Company and subsequently Company Commander of Command Company 2nd Battalion Royal Brunei Land Force from 1993 to 1996.

Pehin Mohd Tawih was promoted to the rank of Major in 1994. While serving as Company Commander, he attended the Company Tactic Course, Battalion Tactic Course (both courses in Singapore) and the Intermediate Operation Course at the Land Warfare Centre, Canungra, Australia. In 1997 he attended the Command and Staff Course at the Malaysian ArmedForces Staff College, Haigate, Kuala Lumpur.

Pehin Colonel Mohd Tawih was the Staff Officer Grade 2 to Commander (CDF) of the RBAF from 1998 to 1999 before taking over the appointment as Staff Officer Grade 2 Operations and Training at Headquarters RBLF in 1999. He was the Second in Command of 3rd Battalion RBLF from 2000 to 2001 and the Commanding Officer of the same battalion from 2001 to 2003.

In 2002, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2003 he was posted to Directorate of Operations Ministry of Defence as Staff Officer Grade 1 Operations until 2005. In 2004, by the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam, he was bestowed the title Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya. In 2005 he took over the appointment as Director of Personnel, at the Ministry of Defence until early 2006.

In February 2006, Colonel Pehin Mohd Tawih took over appointment as Chief of Staff and concurrently held the appointment of Acting Deputy Commander of RBLF. In 2007, he attended the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies (ACDSS) at Weston Creek, Canberra,Australia, on completion of which, he was awarded the Fellow of ACDSS. He was also awarded Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from Deakin University, Australia. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in October 2008. Presently, he holds the appointment as Commandant of Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces (TI RBAF).

Colonel Pehin Mohd Tawih is married to Madam Zulia binti Basman and they are blessed with four children: three boys, Azwani, Zahran and Aizat and a daughter, Ilyia Tashya. Colonel Pehin Mohd Tawih has a keen interest in sports especially in soccer. He is also a social golfer with a handicap of 24.