SHAH ALAM: DWP Tabled and Approved. The Defence White Paper (DWP) was tabled in Parliament on Dec. 2 and was duly approved after a short debate. Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu when tabling the document said this was the first time that the White Paper on Defence had been drafted as previous documents were only policy papers and more importantly not tabled in Parliament.
However as of this morning – Dec. 3 – the DWP has yet to be made public though one can read the speech of the Defence Minister when tabling the document at the ministry’s website. It is unclear when the document will be made public.
It interesting to note that Mohamad Sabu during the winding up debate acknowledged that the DWP did not detailed the funding being sought for the next 10 years. He said that they are seeking one percent of the GDP or 6.5 per cent of the annual Malaysian budget, for defence during the 2020-2030 period. For next year the defence budget is RM15.5 billion or 5.2 per cent of the total budget.
It must be said that the target of 1 percent of the GDP or 6.5 percent from the annual budget is the budget being sought by the ministry and there is no firm commitment for the government to allocate the amount to the Defence Ministry for the next decade. That said it is a good first step towards the goal. Whether or not this is achievable is beyond me. Further research also indicated that Malaysia already spent one per cent of the GDP on defence so this might an easy goal to achieve.
Mohamad Sabu also acknowledged that the DWP did not detailed the full list of arms and weapons to be procured during the decade saying that the list was being prepared and this will not make public.
He also said that the list provided by the DWP and also being formulated were basically part of the military’s long term plan – 15-to-5 (RMN); CAP 55 (RMAF) and the Army Next Generation (Army). Despite this on the plan by RMN to order 14 more LMS as detailed in the 15-to-5 plan, Mohamad Sabu said it was still under discussion and no final decision has been made yet. With the LCS being delayed and in need of further investment, it is likely that the navy may only the MRSS at play in the next five years. Mohamad Sabu acknowledged that due to the issues on the South China Sea the focus should be on the maritime domain though this is likely to be dealt by the next DWP.
It is also interesting to note that Rembau MP in his comments noted that the DWP mentioned that the Army is getting SPH. He did not elaborate further though I have been told already that the Army was likely to get a truck mounted 155mm SPH. No numbers though but with Mohamad Sabu saying the military was being prepared for two theater operations it is likely to be around 36, with one regiment in the peninsula and the other in Sabah and Sarawak.
Will this two theater of operations strategy mean that we are buying a second MBT regiment and setting up an armour brigade in Sabah/Sarawak? For the moment, all I can say if it smells like duck, quacks like a duck….
*updated with GDP data and link to budget story
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (58)
Ini semua wayang.
@ marhalim
"if it smells like duck, quacks like a duck…"
It still can probably not be a duck! If a second MBT regiment is required, just get additional PT-91M (only used now available as the production has ended) and be done with it! But looking at the larger picture, I dont think we should have a dedicated permanent MBT force in Borneo (prepositioned stocks of MBT is another matter).
While I am still waiting for the 90 page document to be published, I would like to congratulate KEMENTAH for finally coming up with a DWP, which has not been done previously.
One item that I found interesting is "membangunkan keupayaan amfibi". If we go for gold plated items we are fond of previously, I dont think we can achieve any meaningful amphibious capability by 2030.
6.5% from annual budget is somewhat achievable but i personally dont think the govt will approve that unless next year/2021 overall budget touches 300bill again..I reckon the mindef should ask for 18bill first n 20bill for 2022 defense budget.
Hope the SPH might be Archer or CAESAR. Also the second MBT Regiment. Could it be T-14 or Type 10 Right ?
Cmiiw i thought Malaysia military spending is already over 1% and is at 1.4% of GDP.
On our forces on borneo
We dont need to mirror exactly what kind of forces we have in semenanjung for sabah and sarawak.
IMO we need more brownwater/reverine and also airmobile helicopter capability in sabah and sarawak rather than armoured capability. Not to say not to have them, but we dont need something like a full fledged armoured brigade there. I am thinking more of 1 each of armored cavalry regiment and mechanized infantry battalion in 1st and 5th division respectively.
What a load of nothing.
IMO the 2nd theatre is preparing for a potential threat from Indonesia. With them moving their capital to Kalimantan Timur, they are also building up their armed forces there under the pretex of securing their future capital. Units being transferred there include an armour brigade.
"truck mounted 155mm SPH"
This is as good as firmed we are going for Caesar. That settles the debate whether to get truck or tracked mounted SPH tho I am more favourable to the M109s as it can operate in the same theater as our Pendekars, likely cheaper since they are refurbs, and based on a very mature platform with plenty of spares & 3rd party upgrades.
@ConcernCitizen, @Alex
It could very well turn out to be just that, much like many of their other policies.
@ Zam
their 2020-2024 development expenditure plans is currently almost like 4x the amount that we can allocate in the same time frame.
some things they are planning for their army 2020-2024
100+ Medium tanks
52 badak 6x6 FSV
400+ Anoa APC
166 M113 APC (used)
75 Pandur 8x8 IFV
4 batteries of ASTROS
3 batteries of CAESAR 155mm SPH
3 batteries of TMG EVA 155mm 8x8 SPH
1 battery of M109 155m SPH
?? batteries of LG1 105mm
15 batteries of SHORAD and MR-SAM
8 Blackhawk helicopter
11 bell 412 helicopter