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.