Sunday 22 May 2016

Defence Asset Procurement Policy - Threats - Part 2

Note: In the previous article, we have explored some of the procurement methods that are in practiced in several countries, including our own.  We also explored how failure to monitor procurement issue had led to a weakened RMN

Disclaimer:
Information shared in this article could not be independently verified.  And even if it has been independently verified, I do not and will not identify them to protect individuals who have and may have shared these information with me.


Tun Hussein Onn
Military procurement doctrine is largely driven by threats that a country is facing.  Malaysia does not run far from this.  As mentioned in the first instalment of this article, the invasion threat and the Domino Effect theory had convinced our defence planners back then to convince then Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn (father to the current Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein).
Son, Datuk Seri Hishammudin Tun Hussein

In fact, understanding the threat that Malaysia is facing today should be the driving reason in formulating a defence assets procurement policy to ensure that our defence forces stay current and is able to counter potential threats.

There are 2 forms of threats to a nation; external and internal threat.


Saturday 26 March 2016

Defence Asset Procurement Policy - A Need

The last major large scale defence asset procurement made under a single programme was under the PERISTA (Program Pembangunan Rancangan Istimewa ATM) which began in the late 70's which trickled through the 1980's.

The programme which saw Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) underwent a large scale modernization programme which changed it's face from a counter-insurgency centric defence force into a largely capable semi-conventional armed forces.

Part of PERISTA Programme.  Unfortunately, there is a dearth of material on PERISTA purchases.

Monday 21 March 2016

No US base in Sabah, says armed forces chief

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18: The Malaysian Armed Forces today dismissed rumours that the United States is setting up a military base in Sabah.

Armed Forces chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said in a statement that the rumours were “untrue”.

He said the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces had no intention of allowing a foreign military base to be established in Malaysia.

Friday 18 March 2016

M’sia not joining military ops - Hishamuddin

Exercise Northern Thunder. Source: Internet

Malaysia will not take part in military operations should Saudi Arabia decide to go on a large-scale war against the Islamic State.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, in saying this, added that Malaysian armed forces personnel based in Riyadh were not involved in “offensive action”.

“They are not designed and not trained to go on the offensive.

“Also, they do not have the required assets. Their main role there is to ensure that the aircraft are serviceable and safe to be used by peacekeeping missions,” he said in reply to Tian Chua (PKR-Batu).

Thursday 17 March 2016

Konfrantasi hero recounts tragedy: 'They were caught off guard and shot'

On this day, 51 years earlier, a young Army officer walked out of the jungle in Kota Tinggi, Johor, his 7.62mm self-loading rifle slung to his shoulder and his fatigues covered in mud.

He had just completed a risky mission to search for Indonesian guerillas who had killed nine of his platoon mates.

Although trained for urban settings, retired Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Daljeet Singh and his men were successful.

They killed and captured a number of the guerillas. Pictures of his men from 2SIR carrying the dead and captured guerillas have not been seen in decades.

The stories of the men who were at the front line in North Borneo (now called Sabah) and in the swamps of Pasir Laba have not been told often enough.

Even now, Mr Singh's voice cracks and tears well up in his eyes, as he recalls the day he had to break the news of a fellow soldier's death to the man's wife.

He said: "She (the widow) just collapsed before I could complete (what I had to say). This was extremely touching to me because I was only 24 years old at that time."

The soldier was one of the eight men killed in an ambush in Kota Tinggi. The remains of another soldier was found days later.

Mr Singh was then mortar platoon commander at 2SIR, which was part of the 4th Malaysian Infantry Brigade. Mr Singh and the rest of 2SIR were deployed at Kota Tinggi.

He said: "We were mainly trained for internal security roles. Later, we were sent for jungle training in Ulu Tiram, Johor, before being deployed at Kota Tinggi."

Recalling the ambush, Mr Singh said: "On Feb 28, 1965, one of our platoons, which was led by the platoon sergeant, a man named Sergeant Ahmad, was deployed in the jungle to search for some Indonesian saboteurs."

As evening fell and daylight faded, the platoon prepared to camp for the night at the foot of a hill called Bukit Lebam.

He said: "Unknown to them, Indonesian soldiers were observing them from higher ground and they later opened fire on the platoon.

"The platoon was caught off guard and eight members of the platoon, including Sgt Ahmad, were killed on the spot."

CAPTURED

Mr Singh said another platoon mate was taken prisoner by the Indonesians, but the remaining soldiers returned to the Company HQ.

He said they were all shaken by the news.

D Company 2SIR, under the command of Capt Mackintosh, was assigned the task of recovering the bodies of the ambushed soldiers.

His voice cracking, Mr Singh said: "We took the bodies back to Camp Temasek in Singapore (where 2SIR was located) and administered the burial rites."

On March 3, 2nd Lt Singh's mortar platoon was airlifted by helicopter from Seletar Airbase to Kampong Bahru, Johor. The next day, acting on information from a villager, they encountered the Indonesians infiltrators. There was a hail of bullets and one guerilla was killed.

Four other Indonesian infiltrators were killed in another encounter on March 6 and another two were killed on March 12.

But he wasn't done.

"Our Commanding Officer did not want to return without finding out what had happened to the ninth soldier, the one who was taken prisoner by the Indonesians.

"The villager said the Indonesians shot him about two days after he was captured and left his body along the jungle route where the other eight soldiers were ambushed," said Mr Singh.

"We retraced our steps along the route and found his remains along the route."

Mr Singh said the Indonesian infiltrators were well-trained and disciplined.

He said: "They had been brainwashed into thinking that Malaysia was ready for an uprising and that the people were waiting for the Indonesians to liberate them from the British.

"But the reality was actually the opposite."

The tragedy may have taken place 51 years ago. But for soldiers who were there, the hurt remains.

He chose SAF instead of medicine

The medals in his Bukit Timah Road home speak volumes of a military career spanning over 30 years.

Mr Daljeet Singh, 75, proudly showed his Independence Medal, his 30-year Long Service Medal, his 25-year Long Service Medal and the medal he received for his role as an army officer during the Konfrontasi period.

He recalled how he became a soldier after finishing his Senior Cambridge exams (the O-level examinations-equivalent of his time) in March 1959.

"My father wanted me to study medicine in India, which I was unwilling to do," he said.

Several months after his exam results were released, one of Mr Singh's former teachers learnt about the formation of the Singapore Military Forces, in anticipation of eventual self-government for Singapore in 1959.

Mr Singh said: "My former teacher advised me to consider soldiering as a career.

"So I joined First Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1SIR) in July 1959 as a recruit. I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in July 1962.

"When Singapore joined Malaysia, 1SIR and 2SIR became part of the Malaysian armed forces."

Before retiring from the SAF, Mr Singh held several appointments, including Brigade Group Commander, HQ 21SIB from 1981 to 1991.

After his retirement, the grandfather of three spent 10 years working for the Singapore Technologies group.

His experience during Konfrontasi affirmed his belief in National Service.

He said: "We have a unique history and Singapore had a unique birth. What we have is worth defending." (aruljohn@sph.com.sg)

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Beijing accuses Tokyo over patrol planes for Philippines

BEIJING: Beijing on Thursday accused Tokyo of interfering in the South China Sea after Manila said it would lease five Japanese military planes to patrol areas it claims in the heavily disputed waters.

Beijing claims almost all of the strategically vital South China Sea, and is embroiled in a separate row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea that has seen relations between the Asian powers sour badly in recent years.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday that Manila would lease five TC-90 training aircraft from Japan to “help our navy patrol our territory”, pointing out the disputed area in particular.

Monday 14 March 2016

No China Coast Guard Vessel Anchored At Gugusan Beting Patinggi Ali - Chinese Envoy

Luconia Shoals/Beting Patinggi Ali. Source: daliulian.net

KUCHING, March 10 (Bernama) -- China has dismissed as untrue the reported permanent presence of a China Coast Guard vessel at the reef complex of Gugusan Beting Patinggi Ali in the South China Sea within the Malaysian exclusive economic zone.

A vessel of the China Coast Guard had come to the area but it is not anchored there, said China's Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang. Gugusan Beting Patinggi Ali is located north of Sarawak.

Huang spoke at a press conference after paying a courtesy call on Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem here Thursday.

Friday 11 March 2016

RMN moves to strengthen country’s maritime security

LUMUT, March 9: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is set to consolidate all its naval units from 15 classes to five in an effort to strengthen the country’s maritime security.

Navy chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Kamaru­l­zaman Ahmad Badaruddin said this is part of the RMN’s transformation programme to stren­g­then its armada and also to be cost effective.

“The replacement process will be done in stages. We will focus on the abilities of the local industry and from 15 classes we will consolidate it to five classes.

“The five classes are New Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV), Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), submarines, Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) and Multi Support Ships.

Thursday 10 March 2016

Dewan told of IS bids to kidnap Najib, Zahid and Hisham

RMP works around the clock to contain the threat of Daesh. Source: Bicaranews

Kuala Lumpur: The nation's security forces have succeeded in curbing and thwarting several attempts by the Daesh militant group to kidnap the country's leaders including the Prime Minister, the Dewan Rakyat was told Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that apart from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, he and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had also been the targets.

"On Jan 30, 2015, a total of 13 individuals associated with the Daesh militant group plotted to kidnap the country's top leaders including the Prime Minister, Home and Defence Ministers," he said.

Wednesday 9 March 2016

‘Sultanate commanders’ in Sabah

Map of Sabah. Source: travelmalaysiaguide.com

KOTA KINABALU: Intelligence conducted by security forces has shown the existence of ‘panglima kesultanan’ (a sultanate commander) in all state constituencies in Sabah and it was seen as a threat to the nation, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said security threats posed by militant groups were no longer confined to Sabah’s east coast as they had spread to the west coast areas as well, he added.

It is a new challenge to the security forces.
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