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• The 1Malaysia F1 team may require a lot of money to operate them but at the other way around there's a very good thing about this team.
  1. It's as one of the medium to promote our country and local companies.
  2. The Proton Holding will benefit a lot as it will have the capability to develop a f1 car and this will give proton a very good image.
  3. Malaysia will be the only wind-tunnel operator outside europe for f1 car designation and this can be further utilize for testing local made car or anything that require such test.

  And lastly, we shouldn't interfere with the national plan to further promote our country with the national defense because when our economy have become more stable we would have the fund for the armed forces modernization program.

  So at the moment, let us give full support for any of the govt good plan and we should bear in mind that many Malaysian think that their country is already safe from any external threat that the country shouldn't spend big on arms procurement. Only people like us know what is it really about national defense. The Ambalat disputed territory and the Spratly Island dispution with several country has raised the security threat to Malaysia mostly with Indonesia and recently reported the KUMPULAN BENDERA.

  Marhalim: My concern about the F1 team is that the fact that two of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, Toyota and BMW both quit the sport both saying that was not compatible with their future planning. Both need the promotion just as much as Malaysia but both used their heads in these matter especially during these hard times. I am not praying that 1Malaysia team failed but history had shown that private financing initiatives in the country usually meant down the road it will be you and me, the taxpayers, that will end up financing their dreams and egos. I sincerely hope this does not happen for our sake, but if they succeed, I will sing their praises but think, what if they failed? No risk, no gain, you might say. But can we afford another MAS, PSC-ND, Proton, PKFZ, MISC, TV3 and others within the next 20 years?

• Yup I would say No Risk No Gain, but if we never try we never know what will happen. Najib as our prime minister have economics background and he was the defense ministry for several years as well. He knows both economy and our defense needs very well. He was the minister aren't he? And now as the prime minister, he have the power. The power that neither u nor me have.

  So in short, last time during the 1997 economic crisis, many country have taken the IMF to recover their economy and Malaysia does not taken the fund under the ruling of Tun Dr Mahathir and if we does take the fund like wat 'he' has suggested, we might end up with a big bailout and the country sure bankrupt punye.

  'He' who was the country ex-deputy prime minister have suggested us to take the fund to recover the national economy like the other country. But at the end of the day, our country have successfully recover from the economic downturn unlike some country that have gone bankrupt because of the fund.

  We does take the risk isn't? We have our own way and will always be on our own way with look east policy unlike many country with look west policy even the japan who have a very strong relationship with the west.

  So what are u saying about this? I still believe in the phrase No Pain, No Gain, but Malaysia will always success because we as the Malaysian will always unite forever and lead the country towards many achievement unlike the other country that need to follow others without the need to stand on it own and lead on it way! It's the RECIPE of 1MALAYSIA. Just hold with the principle and we don't have to worry of anything else and we just need need to pray to god for the success of this country. That's all.

  Marhalim: Good for you for being so positive. I am not being negative, just a little pessimistic after seeing all the things that had happened within the last two decades especially for the defence sector. And its always the defence sector that take the stick whenever something goes wrong with the economy. Yup, Najib is the man in the power at the moment, and he probably knew more about the state of defence of the country than anybody else, I am just a frequent visitor to our defence scene.

  BTW how can we hope GOD will be on our side when we continue to ignore the teachings and principles? I am no ulama, but I do believe whole heartedly, that this world is just an illusion and it is the hereafter that is forever. Therefore do good things before time runs out.

• No offence Firdaus.... but reading your post is like reading a government written speech. With regards to your 'Look East Policy', the main foreign investor in Malaysia remains the US. Malaysia's economic fortunes also remain largely tied to the economies of the EU. Citing Japan as an example with regards to the 'Look East' policy is like comparing apples and oranges. Apart from praying, there are many other factors that contribute to the success of a country.

• I agreed with Marhalim on this matter, we can see that there a lot of project that had go down the drain and required taxpayers money in order to bail them out. We can't just think that good image is as important while overlooking the risk that a project bring.

  I'm not trying to be negative but rather a realist. We need to take into account the strategy, experience and technology know how of our self before making decisions. Considering the deteriorating quality of Proton cars and the fact that company haven't been able to produce a true sport car or race car, It's quite risky to jump straight into the F1 business. The lack of experience and the significant technology drawbacks is substantial. What I can't understand is that why start with F1? We should start with entering lower class racing such F3 and etc in order to learn the important recipe of racing just like other advance car companies around the globe(like BMW, Nissan, Toyota, Ferrari)

  The government didn't show the Belanja Berhemah slogan that it had been preaching to the people during these times. BTW, i don't think the government has financial problem during these economic downturn thanks to PETRONAS who managed to gain astronomical profit just before the economic downturn. We also are not badly hit thanks to Dr. M dynamic economic policy that avoid us from being too dependent to the US market. I personally thinks that 1Malaysia is just a political show just like Islam Hadhari. At least Wawasan 2020 is realistic and the planning is very good. Most of its policy are still being used nowadays and I strongly believed that we will be able to be a developed nation by 2020 if we keep at it.

  One more thing, if countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand can increased their defense spending due to current threats in the region, why on earth are we cutting the defense budget 20% next year? They might be no war in the near future but the Ambalat incident and the Bendera threat clearly shows the need for a strong military power as a bargaining chip. The fact that Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia will go nuclear in 10-15 years also shows the uncertainty of a peaceful future for our region. There is an arm race going on in the region. Don't forget that.

• Lucky indeed we didnt take IMF money. We might end up poor like South Korea which did. Imagine that!

• South Korea is poor?

  Marhalim: Ree was making a point there, South Korea took the IMF money and paid it in full already, so to say that our approach was the only right way in dealing with the economic crisis is not exactly right nor claims that IMF solution was a new colonial approach has been proven wrong.

• Though Indonesia and Thailand seem to be increasing defence spending, its not arm arms race. What they are actually doing is modernising, replacing old stuff they have. When Malaysian was on a 'spending spree' years ago, Thailand and Indonesia hardly bought anything substantial.

  With regards to Indonesia, the TNI still remains largely focused on internal or low intensity threats. The TNI-AL is about the same size as the RMN, in terms of numbers of surface assets, but has a much, much larger area to cover, with older and less capable assets. The same goes for the TNI-AU.

• I think we need to set our priority right. With the needs of our armed forces especially where replacement and modernization of its asset are the main concern an F1 team such as the 1M'sia team can certainly wait. Agreeing on Marhalim's point of not hoping it to be a failure but history has proven indeed that such initiative may end up as the gomen's burden to bear.

  We have the tendency of liking to be the 1st especially among the neighbouring country in joining the popular wagon but later on get lost in the journey. When we 1st sent man to space (though it's still a debatable fact of the legitimacy of his astronaucy status) it was then a big hype of pioneering our own space program initiative but 2 yrs down the road where are we now?

  Major Faez can certainly say his space walk dream goodbye..at least for now. All been said..in the spirit of 1Malaysia we would surely support the gomen's plan and decision as long as it will benefit the masses and for a pure beneficial purpose to the nation as a whole. Quoting the 1st commen of this topic above.."And lastly, we shouldn’t interfere with the national plan to further promote our country with the national defense because when our economy have become more stable we would have the fund for the armed forces modernization program.".

  .i think we are currently stable and with what ever limited fund we have right now we can already have decent modernization program for our armed forces and since quoting again.."Only people like us know what is it really about national defense."..the F1 dream team can certainly wait..cheers

• I know this may sound stupid, but Malaysia according to a unconfirmed source(s)has signed a memorandum to co-operate with the Swiss Propulsion Lab and Project Enterprise to develop a rocketplane codenamed 'M-R2D2' for a space tourism purposes.
  Source>http://www.spacetourismsociety.org/STS_Events/2009-04-24_STS_Malaysia_signs_rocketplane_agreement.html

  According to an interview with the air force personnel, the air force personnel stated that there'll be no extra sukhoi in their inventory in future neither to replace the aging fulcrum nor to add to the current sukhoi squadron.

  So in short, in the interview he also stated that a new MRCA type aircraft will be another competitor for the super hornet. Personally, I think it must the 5th gen fighter.

  And lastly, what is the armed forces plan on the procurement of UAV in the upcoming MP? Will it be the Aludra or the CTRM made uav?

• Besides investing in weapon systems and equipment to beef up our MAF, the Government must also intensify its efforts to get the population more military/defence minded.Total national deterrence requires all able bodied male/female show their commitment to take up arms in the defence of the nation.The MAF cannot defend the nation without the active support of all Malaysian citizens.

  Marhalim: The problem is that every one said the same thing but expect the rest to do it....