SHAH ALAM: Defence Ministry wants bigger allocation. Defence Minister DS Ismail Sabri wants a bigger allocation for the ministry in the 2021 budget set to be announced next Friday.
He said a bigger allocation was needed to ensure the readiness of the military and the construction of new or the repair of family quarters.
Bernama reported that Ismail as saying that the military needed more new assets including for 19 posts in Sabah and Sarawak as part of the on-going operations against illegal immigrants, Op Benteng.
Two soldiers patrolling in ESSCOM as part of Op Benteng. Kementerian Pertahanan
“Kementerian melihat kesiapsiagaan mendapatkan aset baharu untuk Ops Benteng sangat diperlukan sekarang ini.
“Kita bukan sahaja menggerakkan anggota, tetapi aset juga perlu ditambah terutamanya di Pantai Timur Sabah, kita juga bercadang membina kem tentera di Lahad Datu,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan taklimat harian mengenai perkembangan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Pemulihan (PKPP) di sini hari ini.Ismail Sabri berkata ketika ini terdapat 17 pos kawalan di sempadan negara di Sabah dan Sarawak.
Katanya beliau melihat pertambahan pos kawalan sangat penting bagi menangani isu pendatang tanpa izin yang tidak pernah selesai.
Ismail Sabri berkata peruntukan itu juga diperlukan bagi menyelesaikan projek perumahan yang melibatkan puluhan ribu anggota tentera termasuk pesara.
“Kita belum tahu dari segi jumlah bajet yang akan diluluskan… walaupun tidak menghadapi perang tetapi kesiapsiagaan itu mesti sentiasa tinggi,” katanya.
— BERNAMA
It is interesting that the minister is saying that while the country was not at war, the readiness of the military was high, which pretty much sounds like that even without a much higher allocation the military was ready for any eventuality.
To me however as long as we continue to used the term “not at war” to gloss over the lack of allocation, I do’nt think we will ever get the money for the military’s plans.
It must be noted that the same term is used every time to deny the military any substantial allocation for the last three decades or so. As for the bigger allocation to tackle the border and housing issues, it should be given that the military has more than enough capabilities to deal with illegal immigrants and quarters instead of scrambling to get them as what’s happening at the moment. Makes one wonder what will happen if we ever need, god forbid, to go over the top.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (29)
Im glad DS Ismail made a good decision. But let's hope on desember we gonna get new toys.
Thats the way I must say.
Keep asking, put the pressure here and there.
Positive movement by DS Sabri..hope government will seriously consider this request.
BTW, can I know roughly how many Weststar GK-M1 in service with the armed forces right now?
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No idea really
Every ministry and their mother wants a bigger allocation. Which is a problem as the nations income is reduced by the pandemic.
I don't see how we can afford to have a bigger overall budget in 2021 when compared to 2020. I would be glad of they could commit a solid number for defence and home ministry for the whole of RMK12.
Then the defence and home ministry needs to declare how the allocation could increase the mission capability of our armed forces. Peacetime mission capability KPI needs to be set, while readiness of our deterrence systems needs to be maintained (to give % of readiness status) and regularly tested through exercises.
Another thing they need to prove IMO is how can they increase the operational capability with the given budget when compared to the current RMK. Maintaining current capabilities is one thing, they also need to plan an increase the capability in RMK12 by a set percent (say 25%) when compared to RMK11. So that means say for the air force, the fighter capability, or the helicopter lift capability needs to be better in RMK12 when compared to RMK11. So when the look at fancy expensive toys, they need to justify how much better that expensive equipment can increase the overall capability when compared to a simpler cheaper one.
That said, there is a lot of hard decisions to be made. The LMS, LCS, army armoured vehicles, LCA/LIFT, MPA, MALE UAV, medium lift helicopters, OPV and NGPC batch 2 all need to be preferably decided by the end of 2021. That is a lot of decisions to be made.
Safran - “Im glad DS Ismail made a good decision”
What “good decision”? As the Defence Minister it’s his job to ensure the armed services have what they need and to keep making a case for them to have the funding they require.
Marhalim,
Yes, sadly. It’s all boils down to the general attitude we have; defence is something we should only spend on when we actually have extra funds or when times are good. Until that changes and until we actually totally revamp the way we do things; nothing will change; e.g. the RMN or army will ask for something and the bureaucrats will say “we are not at war or in a state of tensions. Why do you need 4 of ‘x’ when you can make do with 1? When times are better or when we actually face a serious threat then you can have more”.
I’ve met people who were involved in drafting requirements and justifying them to committees who would ask a whole list of questions as to why something should be registered for funding ..
We’ve been doing things in such a flawed manner for so long; so deeply part of and ingrained in the system that really changing things will a whole lot of political will and effort.
A good indicator of things will be the MPA and UAS requirement. Will politics/national interests (offsets/benefiting the local industry) be the determining factor or will be the need to ensure we get what best suits our operational requirements based on what we’ve allocated ...
Bigger budget is the key.
Want something nice takes extra money.
Looking at SG hardwares with pinoy budget is not the way...hahahaha.
"it should be given that the military has more than enough capabilities to deal with illegal immigrants"
Are you sure about that? We wouldn't have an illegal immigrant population that far outnumber legal foreign workers here if ATM were effective at preventing illegal border crossings. My opinion, they need more help, more resources, more tech for surveillance and detection, more manpower, more vehicles, more ships, more planes & choppers, more of everything.
Another thing, Ops Benteng only help prevents more coming in (esp those Rohingyas) but that doesn't solve the issues of those already here. There is need for a 2 prong approach now the border is effectively closed, the PDRM & Imigresen should take this chance to sweep the illegals back to their home countries. Once Covid is over and borders reopened, use the added resources I mentioned above to maintain constant vigilance so illegals knows we continue to mean business when comes to border crossings.
Now is the chance to use Covid as excuse to ask for more budget.
Romeo - “Bigger budget is the key”
If only if were that simple.
No point having a ‘bigger budget” if we don’t put the cash to best:optimum use. No point having a ‘bigger budget” if it’s just a temporary measure.
We need a total revamp and relook into our defence policy to see and be honest with ourselves with where we’ve been going wrong. We need to adopt a more realistic, holistic and serious approach with regards to defence.
I still dont understand why the army keep on buying black coloured plate carriers?
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DSC_0104-2.jpg
This latest example with a 10 para soldier is just a chest rig or is also a plate carrier?
http://scontent.fkul18-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/120911654_3929184723777080_4256859940472781909_o.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=2&_nc_sid=0be424&_nc_ohc=OlS3JmBODuoAX9ghTNH&_nc_ht=scontent.fkul18-1.fna&tp=14&oh=5bd584532aef2f6e4433cdce30f06005&oe=5FC1FC4C
i also rarely see 10 para doing jumps with armour plate like us airborne does.
http://api.army.mil/e2/c/images/2013/03/22/287426/original.jpg
BTW this is the new us army uniform program
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tsOKd0E058k/XcRxyGrea3I/AAAAAAAA3MQ/7jTh21gBnr0YiHA_nVVMekyL0-sQsVRdACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen-Shot-2018-11-01-at-7.07.00-PM.png
Bigger allocation is a good start in a way. The next thing is to make sure the cash is spent wisely, let's see if Sabri can come out with better plans than Chin Tong (Sabu was a useless piece of ....).
If I recalled correctly, it was mainly Pakatan people who were constantly remarking " we are not at war why need this and that...", Charles Santiago and Koon Yew Yin among them. The Covid cases would have been 10 times worse if the Armed Forces were not here to assist the police
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Not only PH people, its actually started during BN time. Apart from the politicians it was also used by civil servants especially those in Finance Ministry and EPU, which was previously the gate keeper to the budget allocation. I agree that the military needs to spend their allocation wisely but when faced with the government policies or things due to the influence of politicians its a fools errand