Border Regiment

KUALA LUMPUR: The old 300 series Askar Wataniah Regiment is to be renamed Border Regiment this Saturday in Jeli by the Defence Minister. I wonder the change in colours, name and role would do wonder to this very important but usually under-regarded force.

Would the new roles meant that they would receive new equipment ie ballistic helmets, bullet proof vests, new guns, vehicles, and more importantly, top rated officers and NCOs?

While I know that equipment would be the last thing in the supply pipeline, I wonder whether the Army which has always regarded the Gerak Khas and the Malay Regiment as its zenith would dare to send the best and brightest to a typically “mundane” role of border patrol?

It is most unlikely and the Border Regiment would be much more another attempt to create new batch of generals from the big army instead of a real effort to create a credible infantry regiment.

— Malaysian Defence

From Bernama
Najib To Launch Border Regiment On Saturday

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 7 (Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will launch on Saturday the Border Regiment Corps tasked with preventing intrusions, smuggling and transboundary crime.

Najib, who is also Defence Minister, would launch the corps at the Territorial Army Base Camp in Tanah Merah during his one-day visit to Kelantan.

The corps would work closely with other enforcement agencies at the Malaysia-Thailand border, the Pengkalan Chepa-based 8th Infantry Bridage said in a statement today.

At another function, Najib will hand out compassionate aid to flood victims at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Chabang Empat in Tumpat.

Later at night, Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, will attend the state-level Chinese New Year open house at the hypermarket site here.

In a separate programme, Rosmah will attend a get-together with women at the Jeli member of parliament service centre.

— BERNAMA