SENOI PRAAQ – A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE “WAR PEOPLE” – PART 3

By M Hanif Ismail

(New generation of Senoi Praaq. Source: 3rd GOF)

Senoi Praaq – the name may sounds familiar to the local defence watchers, but outside that (small) circle, its mention may very well draw a blank.

Senoi Praaq means “War people” or “those who fight” in the Semai language. Senoi Praaq started as a special project under the British during the First Emergency (1948 – 1960), to replace the British SAS squadrons leaving the country. It was dispatched to Vietnam during the Vietnam War as part of collaboration between the British and the US intelligence to train Vietnamese indigenous people collectively known as the Montagnards.

This article will look at the activities of the Senoi Praaq after the end of Konfrontasi, its activities during the Second Emergency (1968-1989), including its switch from under the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to the Royal Malaysian Police.

Serangan Dron Hanya Melahirkan Lebih Banyak Musuh Buat Amerika Syarikat

 Oleh Yusni Yussof

Dron Predator melancarkan misil! ( Kredit foto kepada General Atomics Aeronautical system Inc. )

Serangan terbaru  dron milik Amerika Syarikat di Yaman pada 13 Disember lalu telah mengakibatkan kematian 14 orang awam dan 22 orang yang lain tercedera. Lebih malang, serangan tersebut dilancarkan ke atas konvoi  kenderaan-kenderaan yang  sedang meraikan perkahwinan penduduk tempatan. Di dalam insiden tersebut, 2 orang pemimpin puak yang berpengaruh turut terkorban.Penganalisis berpendapat bahawa insiden-insiden sebegini yang begitu banyak dilaporkan semenjak AS menggiatkan usaha membunuh individu-individu yang dikaitkan dengan al Qaeda hanya  menimbulkan kemarahan dan kebencian terhadap AS, sekaligus melahirkan simpati terhadap perjuangan al Qaeda. 

China Upping the Ante – Are We Ready? Part 4

By Danny Liew Shan Lee

(The Dragon vs The Eagle. Where should we be in the grand scheme of things? Source: Internet)

In the previous installment, we get to face how our much vaunted FPDA is actually just a granite giant with clay feet.  Make no mistake, the illusion of grandeur that FPDA had on us should be discarded as it has blind-sided us for years, that the British would come and assist us at time of war.

Now that we realized this, would there be any one that would come to our help if China turns belligerent? That it is an open secret that any conflict with China will probably attract the attention of the United States, thus it would not be a surprise that the US will have a special interest in the region.

China Upping the Ante – Are We Ready? Part 3

By Danny Liew Shan Lee

(FPDA a toothles tiger? Source: Internet)

In part 2, we have seen that the planned war games with China do not mean that we have chosen to ally ourselves with the Middle Kingdom.  In fact, it is probably more of a confidence building measure (CBM). 

In the recent parliamentary seating, opposition MPs had unveiled their alternative budget.  For defence, they had advocated cut in military CAPEX, citing that we have a standing defence pact in the FPDA, or Five-Power Defence Agreement.

China Upping the Ante – Are We Ready? Part 2

By Danny Liew Shan Lee

(China and Malaysia. Source: Wikimedia)

In Part 1, we examined the precarious situation that we are or will be in in the near future.  Like it or not, we would not be able to deny access to China to our territorial waters.  Their military might makes us a small pushover for them. 

So does it mean, if we can’t beat them, we join them?

China Upping the Ante, Are We Ready?

By: Danny Liew Shan Lee

(China's new ADIZ: Source: SCMP)

The 9 – Dotted Line, Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, the Spratly, the ADIZ, and now the Liaoning, PLAN's first aircraft carrier.  The Dragon has awakened and it is asserting its claim over its historical territories. 

For China’s immediate neighbours, the growing strength of China’s military might is disconcerting.  The claim on Senkaku/Diaoyu chain of islands and the unilateral declaration of Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the same area had rattled her neighbours, particularly South Korea and Japan, both of which has overlapping claims over the chain of islands.

But the biggest bombshell would be the launching of Liaoning’s sea trial in the seas of South China Sea, which China sees as her own playground.  The launch, declared earlier last week caused trepidation over the region as the exercise is being seen as potentially as an escalation of aggression in the hotly contested region.

Part One

In this article, we will examine the relationship between Malaysia and China.  How this relationship had been built from Day 1 till today.  We will examine also how China’s multiple unilateral actions and military build-up has led to slow erosion of our relationship.

We will also look into the current and near future order of battle of Malaysian forces, on how these could interdict Chinese hegemony in the region.

SENOI PRAAQ – A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE “WAR PEOPLE” – PART 2

By M Hanif Ismail

(Map of the Montagnards in Vietnam. Noone's team of Senoi Praaq operated somewhere around An Khe and Pleiku. Source: Internet)

Senoi Praaq – the name may sounds familiar to the local defence watchers, but outside that (small) circle, its mention may very well draw a blank.

Senoi Praaq, or “War People”, started as a special project under the British during the First Emergency (1948 – 1960), to replace the British SAS squadrons in the fight against communist terrorists. The unit proved its mettle during the First Emergency and the British was keen to maintain and even promote this capability in the fight to contain communism in Southeast Asia.   

This article with briefly look at the activities of the unit from the end of the First Emergency in 1960 to its role in maintaining the peace today.

SENOI PRAAQ – A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE 'WAR PEOPLE' - PART 1

By M Hanif Ismail

(The Senoi Praaq with New Zealand's soldiers during the First Emergency. Source: Internet)

Senoi Praaq – the name may sounds familiar to the local defence watchers, but outside that (small) circle, its mention may very well draw a blank.

Senoi Praaq means “War people” or “those who fight” in the Semai language. It currently refers to 2 battalions of the General Operations Force (GOF) under the Royal Malaysian Police, the 3^rd and the 18^th Battalion based in Bidor, Perak and Pengkalan Hulu,Perak, respectively. What sets it apart is that the members are almost exclusively made up of Orang Asli, or the indigenous people of Peninsula Malaysia.

Senoi Praaq started as a special project under the British during the First Emergency (1948 – 1960), to replace the UK SAS squadrons leaving the country. This article with briefly look at the activities of the unit from its formation in 1957 to its role in maintaining the peace today.

Iran's Increased Strike and Surveillance Capabilities in the Middle East with Unveiling of Latest Drone

 By Yusni Yussof

Iran has unveiled the Fotros, deemed to be the state’s largest unmanned strategic plane to date. The drone boasts of having an operational range of 2,000 kilometres and capable of flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet, with a flight time of 16 to 30 hours. Furthermore, the drone can be equipped with air-to-surface missiles, enabling it to conduct military missions. The drone’s capability will enable it cover much of the Middle East, including Israel. 

DSGC Review on Mob TV

Pada 13/11/2013 lalu, Editor DSGC Review, Yusni Yussof telah diundang untuk memberikan pandangan berkaitan Isu Keselamatan Malaysia  di dalam rancangan What Say Youth di Mob TV.



http://www.mobtv.my/talkshow-4266.html

BY SEA, BY LAND: ESTABLISHING MALAYSIA’S OWN MARINE CORPS PART V

By M. Hanif Ismail

(Source: KD Mahawangsa)

In Part IV we have looked at the resources that we currently have to form the base for the new Marine Corps. From this base, we can grow the capabilities and reach of the new Marine Corps to be a strategically mobile rapid deployment force.

Here we will look at the requirements for a tactically mobile Marine Corps as well as for a strategically mobile, power projection-capable Marine Corps.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A TACTICALLY MOBILE MARINE CORPS

TRAINED TROOPS: While the initial troops for the new Marine Corps can come from the commandos / Special Forces formations and the 10 Para Brigade, making this a permanent arrangement will dilute the focus on the core tasking of these formations. The commandos / Special Forces formations are tasked to conduct special operations including unconventional warfare and counter terrorism, while the 10 Para Brigade are tasked to conduct airborne operations. The tasking of each formation determines the kind of specialised trainings their personnel have to go through. For example, members of the 10 Para Brigade not only have to qualify as an airborne trooper (by passing the basic airborne course), but also need to maintain currency in airborne operations. Same goes for members of all the Special Forces formations who have to qualify and maintain currency in their own specialised skill sets.

FELIN Future Soldier System - Setting the Benchmark

By Yusni Yussof

( All images are from the French Ministry of Defence)

 
 

The French is currently the leading country in the global race towards deploying  future soldier system in the battlefield and setting  the  benchmark for others. The French future soldier system, FELIN (Fantassin à Équipements et Liaisons Intégrés) which officially entered service in 2011,  marks a new phase in modern combat technology. The battlefield is now fully digitized and soldiers will be able to utilize every aspect of their surroundings to enhance their lethality and combat effectiveness.

BY SEA, BY LAND: ESTABLISHING MALAYSIA’S OWN MARINE CORPS : Part IV

 By M .Hanif Ismail 

Amphibious warfare is inherently a joint operation; at the most basic form, it requires ships to transport troops from ship to shore where they can establish a beachhead and execute a normal ground campaign from there. For many armed forces around the world, it is the business of the Navy to operate ships; as such ships for the amphibious warfare will be maintained and manned by the Navy.

Although troops fulfilling the function of a Marine Corps historically come from the Navy as well, it does not have to be the case (for example, Guards battalions tasked with amphibious operations are under the Singapore Army, not Navy).

It has been established in Part II that the intention behind the establishment of the Marine Corps is important in order to determine which model suit it best.

If the intent is for power projection then a number of big ticket items are needed: trained troops for the amphibious landing, sufficient troop lift capability, ability to provide air cover in transit and during the amphibious landing, ability to protect the amphibious warfare ships in transit and during the amphibious landing and specialised craft to transport ship to shore.

If the intent is to setup a rapidly deployable force for handling domestic situations, most of the requirements above can be waived, as technically the Marine Corps will be the same as an Army unit, and can be transported by trucks instead of ships for most domestic situations. 

Here we will take a look at what resources we currently have to form the base of the new Marine Corps.

Is Saudi Arabia set to arm itself with nuclear arsenal from Pakistan?

By Yusni Yussof

BBC Newsnight on 6/11/2013  reported that Saudi Arabia will be getting nuclear weapons from Pakistan, further solidifying reports the kingdom has been investing in Pakistan’s nuclear development program.  The report claims that earlier this year, a senior Nato decision maker had seen intelligence reporting that nuclear weapons made in Pakistan on behalf of Saudi Arabia are now sitting ready for delivery.

It is difficult to simply dismiss the allegation and consider it as mere speculation, as the kingdom is reported to have given generous financial assistance to Pakistan’s defence sector, including, western experts allege, to its missile and nuclear labs. The visits by then Saudi defence minister Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz to the Pakistani nuclear research centre in 1999 and 2002, clearly confirms the existence of a close defence relationship between the two countries. 

BY SEA, BY LAND: ESTABLISHING MALAYSIA’S OWN MARINE CORPS - Part III

 By M . Hanif Ismail

Malaysia is ranked third in ASEAN in terms of nominal GDP, after Indonesia and Thailand. In terms of GDP per capita, the country is again ranked third after Singapore and Brunei. However, despite being one of the regional leaders in terms of economic power, due to the current political situation, Malaysia can hardly claim to be the leading defence spenders.

This means that any defence spending have to be prudent and maximises (the apparent) value for money.

Here we will look at Korps Mariniers as an example of a Marine Corps which is small in size but big in capabilities.

Book Review : Killing Pablo by Mark Bowden

Killing Pablo presents the readers with a detailed and informative account of the 15 months manhunt of Pablo Escobar, the once powerful Colombian drug kingpin whose reign had terrorized a nation. The book discloses how Escobar succeeded to rise in the Medellin Cartel and build up his criminal empire. His empire included an army of soldiers and criminals, a private zoo, mansions and apartments all over Colombia, private airstrips and planes for drug transport and personal wealth reported to be in the neighborhood of $24 billion.

BY SEA, BY LAND: ESTABLISHING MALAYSIA’S OWN MARINE CORPS - PART II

 By M. Hanif Ismail 

For many local defence watchers, why Malaysia needs to have its own Marine Corps is because four of its neighbours have one: Thailand has its 36,000-strong Royal Thai Marine Corps, Indonesia has its 29,000-strong Korps Marinir, The Philippines have its Philippine Marine Corps and Vietnam has its People’s Army of Vietnam Navy Naval Infantry. Myanmar also has at least 2 naval infantry battalions, which were first raised in the 1960s and Cambodia has reportedly raised a 2,000-strong Marine infantry in 2007.

Singapore amphibious operations capability is maintained by a number of its Guards battalions (active and conscript). Brunei with its small armed forces does not have a specially designated Marine Corps, while Laos is a landlocked country with a small Navy intended more for border control work along the Mekong River.

Whither the Security Guards Companies Part 2 - Shameful Expose

By: Danny Liew Shan Lee

Shameful!  Yesterday’s robbery at Tomei (a local jewellery chain) at Festival City Mall, Setapak here in Kuala Lumpur was again committed by an armed guard.  Whilst there was no casualty, the beleaguered industry took yet another beating on its image.

Early news reports had indicated that the security guard-turned robber was believed also to have gotten the job using identification documents obtained via dubious means (Armed security guard with fake ID robs goldsmith shop in Setapak, http://www.nst.com.my/latest/armed-security-guard-with-fake-id-robs-goldsmith-shop-in-setapak-1.389195).  

While in the first robbery, Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) can be absolved from being faulted; there is almost no reason to absolve them for this robbery. 

Wrong Priorities

The first robbery should have prompted immediate action by the police force to do a sweep over the roll-call of individuals working in the industry, focusing on those who have access to arms.  Yet, the first few arrests were made on security guards without weapons. 

BY SEA, BY LAND: ESTABLISHING MALAYSIA’S OWN MARINE CORPS - Part 1

By M. Hanif Ismail

The local defence watchers have been arguing for the setting up of a Marine Corps for quite some time, although perhaps the sentiment is driven more by the sense of “keeping up with the Joneses” rather than any actual need.

However,  with the recent announcement by Malaysia’s new Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, that dream is perhaps now closer to reality than ever before.

Many are linking this announcement to the Lahad Datu standoff. Perhaps it is, or perhaps it is driven more by the need to safeguards our claims to parts of the Spratly islands, as outlined in Peta Baru Malaysia 1979. This theory tie with another item announced by Hishammuddin, which is the setting of a new naval base in Bintulu, Sarawak. 

U.S LOSING TRUST FROM EUROPEAN ALLIES OVER SPYING ROW

By Yusni Yussof

 

President Obama and Chancellor Merkel

 ( Photocredit : Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

It is an open secret that nations spy on each other. Where every nation stands at equal footing and possess a similar level of sovereignty to others, there is nothing to stop them from spying. Information and intelligence gathered are vital to ensure that the state can see what’s coming. Its survival depends on it. The fact is augmented if we look at the global scenario through the Realist’s perspective. According to the school of thought’s framework of understanding how nations interact among themselves, power is regarded as the pertinent factor. 

Knowledge and information is power!

The questions are how deep and how far will states do it? It is naïve to suggest that nations will refrain from acquiring intelligence and information that will serve their objectives and their interest. Nevertheless, any state which want to spy on others, must be prepared to abide by the cardinal rule of spying- don’t get caught! Again, Do Not Get Caught doing it!

But if you do get caught, there are only few options left. You deny, cook up a convincing story or justify your actions with excuses that can hold water. But a denial from a hegemony like US sounds rather comical than convincing.

Whither the Security Guard Companies – Bank Officer Murder Opens a Can of Worms

By: Danny Liew Shan Lee

The robbery of Subang Jaya AmBank branch that resulted in the senseless murder of the branch operations officer has shocked the nation. The robbery may have netted the suspect, ostensibly from Jalan Apas of Tawau a total of RM450,000 (approximately USD143,300). But the repercussions of his action may see the security industry being targeted for industry-wide cleanup. 

Long being derided as a major exploiter of workforce by workers union, the industry has been almost continuously attracting negative news. The underpaid workers in the industry had been accused of nearly every crime under the sun. But this case it has reached a new low. Never before in a robbery by an armed guard that the guard had resorted to murder his charge. 

The fact that the cops were able to pinpoint that the murderer is actually a foreigner (believed to be from Sulawesi, Indonesia) using a forged MyKad (national identification document) and that he was issued a pump-action shotgun without proper vetting and qualification has now forced the government to bring the hammer on the security firm that employed the murderer.

2 MALAYSIANS, 2 US NAVY PERSONNEL ARRESTED OVER BRIBERY CHARGES

By DSGC Staff 

According to a US Justice Department release dated Sept 17, three individuals - a commander in the United States Navy, a special agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the CEO of a multinational defense contractor - were charged in criminal complaints unsealed on the same date in connection with two separate bribery schemes.

The complaints allege that Leonard Glenn Francis, the CEO of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. (GDMA), paid US Navy Commander Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz and NCIS Supervisory Special Agent John Bertrand Beliveau II with luxury travel and prostitutes in exchange for confidential information and other assistance in relation to hundreds of millions of dollars in Navy contracts.

Francis was arrested in San Diego on Sept 16 and made his initial appearance in federal court on Sept 17 before US Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford. 

Somali Pirates Apprehended, Skiffs Destroyed by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)

October 18 - A group of Somali pirates were apprehended and their skiffs were destroyed by the Combined Maritime Forces ( CMF)  Counter Piracy Task force , CTF 151 in the Indian Ocean . The CTF 151 staff embarked on RFA Fort Victoria coordinated the maritime interdiction supported by HMAS Melbourne and ROKS Wang Geon from CTF 151, European Union flagship HMLMS Johan de Witt, and a Seychelles based maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg.

It is reported that the task force was on hot pursuit of the pirates after the pirates attacked and exchanged gunfire with the supertanker Island Splendor on Friday. The same pirates were reported to have attacked a Spanish fishing vessel 3 days later. The search was fruitful as the pirates were located some 500 nautical miles from the Somali coast.

A Seahawk helicopter from HMAS Melbourne guided the warship to the location of the pirates. After locating the perpetrators, the warship’s armed and highly trained boarding teams made the final approach to board and search the skiffs. They successfully apprehended nine pirates and later destroyed two skiffs and associated pirate equipment.

Kiram III Is Dead, Claim On Sabah “Still Alive”?

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USA 0 China 1? - Post Debt Ceiling Crisis Impact on Malaysia

By: Danny Liew Shan Lee

The immediate threat of international financial meltdown of USA had finally been averted.  The last ditch effort paid off; Democrats, using the full force of media had put the blame on the fiasco on the Republican and the Republican House Leader did not want to go down into history as the main that destroyed the American Dream. 

Now that war in Obama's home front had been averted, what does that mean to the rest of the world.

1. USA prevents the international financial world from a meltdown - check.

1. USA gets another day to be the leader of the free world - check. 

1. USA gets to strengthen their influence in Asia Pacific - cross that out.

Cross that out?  Why cross that out?  Problem solved already, right? 

Wrong.  When the debt ceiling crisis started, US President Barack H Obama had to cancel his planned visit to Southeast Asia, with stops in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta and sent his Secretary of State, John Kerry instead. 

Shocking! Police Lost 0.04% of its Guns!

The recently released Auditor General’s report for the year 2012 claimed that RM1.3 million worth of guns and police gear were missing. The missing items include: 44 firearms, 29 vehicles, 26 walkie-talkies, 22 radios and other equipment.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that the missing guns could have fallen into the sea from boats and therefore could not be recovered and the Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have also come forward to support the IGP’s statement saying that there “has been no misappropriation”. 

Answering the fears that the guns might have fallen into the hands of criminals, Khalid said that each firearm carries an identification code and so far the Police has not come across any report of the missing weapons being used in any crime.  

Kriss Vector Firearms - Reducing Recoils to Increase Accuracy

Over the years, one of the common discomforts experienced by enforcers, soldiers and operators is shooting recoil. Normally when a person pulls the trigger on any firearm,  the recoil force will slam back into the shooter’s shoulder, causing massive amounts of felt recoil and resultant muzzle climb. This felt recoil and increased muzzle climb will drastically reduce the accuracy of the operator and the time needed to re-acquire the target.

Introducing the Kriss Vector system;  developed by Kriss Arms over a 5-year period in cooperation with the US Army ARDEC Picatinny Arsenal.  While traditional firearms utilize a “straight-line” design that drives the action of the firearm directly toward the operator creating a substantial increase in the felt recoil and movement, the KRISS Vector overcomes the effects of the felt recoil by re-directing the blow back energy down and away from the operator.