SHAH ALAM: 31st brigade moving to Bintulu. Army chief General Zamrose Mohd Zain today announced that the 31st Infantry Brigade headquarters will be moving to Bintulu from its present location in Sibu. Bernama quoted him as saying that the move will take place in June, next year.
The decision to move the 31st IB headquarters, according to Zamrose was made as the Ninth Infantry Brigade headquarters was already in Sibu. The 31st IB was established in 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, as part of the response to the Sulu landing and subsequent firefight in Lahad Datu, two years earlier. The brigade – responsible for the four (sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth) Rejimen Sempadan in Sarawak- was moved to Kuching in 2016 before it was then transferred to Sibu, at the same camp of the Ninth IB.
Bernama quoted Zamrose as saying that the family quarters for the officers and men of the 31st IB headquarters have been identified and he was confident that they could move to Bintulu by June.
He said the Army will be leasing the buildings for the 31st IB headquarters for the time being though he did not identify the exact location. A check on Google Maps showed that construction of a new camp along the Bintulu-Miri highway was still underway. It is unclear whether this camp once completed will housed the 31st IB headquarters though.
Zamrose was speaking to the media after a mass promotion exercise for Rejimen Sempadan soldiers attached to the 31st IB at Kem Muara Tuang in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak today (December 27, 2022). A total of 201 soldiers from the brigade received their promotion at the ceremony.
As part of the restructuring of the Rejimen Sempadan, its battalion-sized units have now been upgraded as Batalion Infantry Standard or standard infantry battalions.
— Malaysian Defence
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Will we see new asset procurements after this move?
Unlikely. Even though RS units have been upgraded as BIS, it’s more likely they will get hand me down equipment from RMR and Rangers battalions
It is cheaper and easier to upgrade them in name and official standings than it is to give them proper equipment and resources.
In essence, with all the RS battalions upgraded to BIS, currently we have more active infantry battalions than we have during confrontation and communist insurgency eras. Add that to the RMP GOF battalions.
There is still a lot of things need to be done in Sarawak & Sabah. Still no 155mm howitzers. Not much RAJD assets. No GAPU assets. No mechanized infantry battalion units. Can be fulfilled if we look around to add used stuff of something that we already currently use. Just add more of what we are used to operate.
“…construction of a new camp along the Bintulu-Miri highway was still underway.”
I’m more inclined to believe they’re building additional units for the military family quarters complex.
There are several places I can think of for leasing the 31st IB HQ, have to take a look see to confirm.
Not, Kem Sijimilau? I think there is enough space for the site for 31st Brigade hq. Despite being called a hq, it is not big, more around 100 personnel or so for the time being. If the Army follow up on their claim to make the RS more akin to other BIS, the brigade HQ may be enlarged with other enabling units like Angkut, Semboyan and medical
“Not, Kem Sijimilau?”
Army is renting ex PLKN. I bet the surounding area (maybe together with the Kem) have been taken by methanol plant.
“…the brigade HQ may be enlarged with other enabling units…”
RS brigade HQ already have its enablers, based on their HQ camp entrance signboard, again another rented ex PLKN at Sibu…it mentioned Angkut, Semboyan but no Ubat.
There is actually another RS battalion in sarawak.
11RS based in RASCOM, Sibu.
They are moving to Sabah. Initially I put 11RS in Sarawak as well but a recent posting on Joint Force stated 11RS is now in Tawau
So that was a very short stint in Sarawak.
Previously 11RS was stationed in Bera, Pahang.
So now 2 RS battalions in Sabah, 8RS and 11RS both in Tawau? Does the 12RS already exist?
No idea really on 12 RS. Likely it will happened soon even just a small command or nucleus as the Army likes to call them. This will allow the Army to stand up the 32nd Infantry Brigade as announced by Ismail Sabri when he was the Defence Minister.
“He said the Army will be leasing the buildings…”
Army have leased and put troops into the buildings, fenced off half of the commercial area, no sight of ongoing major renovation works and small signboard “beware military area” at gatehouse.