This post was update to add the new Australian Defence White Paper
KUALA LUMPUR: Before the Defence Ministry embarked on the project to set up Territorial Army units in every parliamentary constituencies, Malaysian Defence humbly suggests to the Minister study the materials provided courtesy of the UK Ministry of Defence.
Of course, the Minister could always asked the British High Commission to provide them with the document, complete with a translated version (Simon!).
Further reading. UK Strategic Review of Reserve Forces
And if the Minister is willing, there is also the new Australian Defence White Paper which was released on May 2 which can be used a reference material.
Further reading. Australian Defence White Paper
Malaysian Defence is not suggesting that we copy everything that is recommended by the British or any one else for that matter (we have already done that for the last 50 years ignoring our own tenets) but it makes a good reading and reference material before embarking on the 600K TA project.
Personally, Malaysian Defence does not believe the 600K project is strategically and financially viable and have a rather cynical view about it but I believe that the powers that be have been made aware of the current circumstances within the last few days.
Malaysian Defence understands the need for reserves but certainly before any plans to boost the reserves, we must first strive to boost our regular forces first. Define the regular forces mission; fund them adequately with regard to that mission and ensure that its financially viable for the country first. When we fix the regular forces, only then we can conduct a review of the reserve forces.
From Bernama
On April 13, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had announced the establishment of one battalion of the Territorial Army in all the 22 parliamentary constituencies in an effort to strengthen the national defence system.
Ahmad Zahid had said that the force would consist of 300 men for each platoon comprising the various ethnic groups and the overall total was expected to reach 600,000 within the next five years.
BTW, the SIPRI Arms Transfer Database listed that in 2008, Russia supplied us with some 80 AS-17 (in both the K-31A and K-31P version) between 2007-2008. It also stated that we ordered 150 of the missiles for the Flanker fleet the same number for the Adder and Alamos we bought. It also stated that six more Flankers are expected to arrive in Malaysia this year. With the reported delays in Russia arms production, we wonder whether it will also effect the deliveries of the missiles and jets.
Other deliveries are mostly for the Kedah class project including 12 Caterpillar engines for the 4 boats built locally. The diesel engines are the only US-made items listed in the 2008 database meaning that we did not receive new missiles from the Americans last year. The database usually only listed major arms and not things like small arms.
—Malaysian Defence
View Comments (9)
Look here...how dare you criticize the new Minister for his utterly daft plan for a reserve so large we don't have enough socks to issue. We already do not have enough money to properly equip and train the regulars so I'm guessing this is going to be whisked out of thin air.
You fail to understand the primary reason for this exercise which is squander vast amounts of taxpayer's money on building lots and lots of utterly useless camps with no facilities. Could you imagine how many armories would have to be secured against an al-Maunah special? We don't have enough MPs for that mission, unless we use reservists. We are not Switzerland, the gomen does not trust the citizenry to issue them arms. It would be bloody chaos if they did because our society is not particularly civil.
The generals love it because they can justify the dizzying number of flag ranks. Why the CoA could be a 5-star with that many troops.
Unless PM can magically increase the Defense budget 10 fold, we have no chance whatsoever of succeeding whatsoever. In failure some cronies are going to make a lot of money though.
This is the result of Bangsa Kontraktor Kelas F.
Marhalim: Since that initial announcement, the Defence Minister has been rather quiet on the issue, I guess it was just a head rush nothing more, I really hope so but I am game for a weekend or two being a part-time soldier......
Marhalim,
I now figured out whats a good business venture! We will be short of rifles. We are also short of cash. Time to introduce to the Minister the wonderful world of NORINCO family of rifles.
Marhalim: LOL! Yes, the Norinco M4 clones are also going very cheaply,between US500 to US600, per piece, if we could secure the deal to supply the TA 600K with at least 300K M4 clones, we could always sell hem for RM4000 each with another Rm2000 with Chinese holosights, lasers and tactical lights and other Chinese SOPMOD clones. The Hummer copies are also available together with Mercedes copies.....
DRB-Hicom/Deftech has one unit of Dongfeng Hummer (EQ2050 I think!).
Marhalim: Perhaps, but it must be noted that Deftech/DRB-Hicom is the authorised agent of the Hummer/Humvee, last time I checkl...
I bet someone from the special operations would halt the purchase of NORINCO rifles and opt for the real M4 instead...it happened to the AK-47 last time...some people really give a damn about quality...
Marhalim: Spec Ops may have the luxury of choosing their own equipment as their purchases are usually limited in numbers and mostly through emergency contingency funds, its hard to fool those Treasury people even with the relatively fast procurement. What we are worried about are those purchases meant for the big Army including wataniah. Quantity and national interest usually swamped over quality and sensibility.
Hi Marhalm,
We can't have Wataniah looking better equipped than the regular army. So optics and other rifle assesories, even from China, is not a good idea.
A massive expansion of Wataniah like the Minister has in mind will surely result in lower training standards. A rifle that sub trained soldiers can operate effectively will be needed. So I am thinking AK clones. We can probably get these at half the price of M4 clones. The AK bullets are also cheaper.
Say we sell at RM2000 per rifle. A 300 thousand order will only cost the govt RM600 million. Peanuts.
Add in a few thousand RPGs and 4x4 technicals, we will have our own Fedeyeen force.
Marhalim: I keep your proposal in mind, just hope that no cronies are reading this comment, otherwise they will be running to mindef, even before you can say copyright control. BTW from a recent visit to mindef by an ambassador, it may well be Vz58 and not AK47s, they have in mind...
The 600K territorial plan is the brainchild of the Minister. The brass is cold to the idea as it is going to dilute their already limited funding even further. Suffice to say he has made a really bad start with this 'cunning plan' and the general impression is of a man who has no clue and a big mouth.
Nah.. not AK47, perhaps a rebarelled AK74 (with modified/improved receiver cover to accept all imagined doodads) to use our ammo :). Cheap, quite accurate and reliable given the basic engineering. Hell, perhaps the army would find this just as suitable and practical too... how many >300meter engagements can be visualized in this country anyways?
But I agree with mr t, one shouldn't make mouth bigger than the brain. This wataniah thing sounds like the plkn, money for contractors for all kind of things to get those camps running. Oh well, same old, same old.
Marhalim: and the other ancillary things of course, dont think about the guns, just consider if one can get the tender to supply uniforms, towels and other personal items. Its 600k times at least 3 sets!
Volunteers have to BUY their own uniforms and personal equipment! Pandainya aku ni......
Marhalim: Yes but ONLY from the preferred supplier (hence the singularity)
put in Zsu 23 also, baru lagi terangkat