The Chief of Defence Forces of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Affendi bin Buang RMAF, welcomed the 2021 Budget for the defence aspect which requires a large allocation to strengthen its readiness as well as improve the welfare of its personnel.

With an allocation of RM 16 billion, compared to RM 15.6 billion previously, it can assist in the development of MAF capabilities that are planned and organised based on current and future challenge scenarios and threats.

The allocation for the maintenance of key MAF assets was increased to RM 2.3 billion for the year 2021 compared to the previous 2 billion, is very important in ensuring the operational readiness of these assets is at the optimum level and able to be mobilised at any time.

The government’s concern in the Armed Forces Family Home (RKAT) is an initiative that provides comfort to personal and families.

In addition, an allocation of RM500 million for the construction of almost 1,000 new RKAT units is seen as a contributor to the moral improvement of MAF staff in ensuring that their welfare is always given priority.

Based on the current threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MAF must always maintain its vigilance to meet the needs of secondary tasks performed by the three services, namely the Army, Navy and Air Force in assisting the country, especially the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and agencies- other enforcement and security agencies to stop on the spread of this epidemic.

At the same time, the increase in the level of MAF’s readiness through the allocated budget, is also due to the current security issues. As a maritime country with a continental line, the aspect of defencs readiness is closely linked to the issues of the Straits of Melaka, the South China Sea and also the current challenges and threats on the East Coast of Sabah.

Looking at the implementation of OP BENTENG to ensure that the country’s borders are not invaded by foreign elements, especially illegal immigrants (PATI), the readiness of maritime defence needs to be strengthened due to the country’s vast waters.

This requires an increase in the acquisition of maritime assets especially to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) to enable it to optimise its role in ensuring the sovereignty of the country’s waters is always preserved. Similarly, the ability to monitor the long territorial border, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, requires strategic planning by the Malaysian Army (TDM), especially in terms of placement of facilities and new monitoring posts.

This budget allocation is also very important for the Army, focusing on the maintenance aspects of its assets. Based on regional geostrategics, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is required to constantly improve its capabilities, especially continuous air monitoring.

Procurement of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), Unmanned Aircraft (UAVs) and air defence radar is essential for air surveillance and intelligence tasks, especially monitoring operations in the South China Sea.

In order to ensure that the duties and responsibilities entrusted can be carried out effectively, it is very important for MAF to have the appropriate level of asset readiness. The MAF needs assets that are always at the highest level of readiness in order operated at any time, whether during training or mobilisation.

Against this backdrop, the MAF bears the trust of the country by requiring us “to do more with less”. For that, MAF needs to be smart in determining each need. This situation requires us to spend prudently and at the same time increase our ability and effectiveness in performing tasks.

It is acknowledged that MAF’s readiness requires high financial allocation. Nevertheless, we agree with the current situation, it is appropriate that all MAF staff should always be sensitive to the importance of balancing the desired capabilities based on the financial allocation that can be provided by the government.

CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE
KUALA LUMPUR 6 NOV 2020

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ATM SAMBUT BAIK BELANJAWAN 2021: ASPEK PERTAHANAN

Panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), Jeneral Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Affendi bin Buang TUDM menyambut baik Belanjawan 2021 bagi aspek pertahanan yang memerlukan peruntukan besar untuk memperkukuhkan kesiagaan di samping meningkatkan aspek kebajikan warganya.

Dengan peruntukan RM 16 bilion berbanding RM 15.6 bilion sebelum ini, ia dapat membantu kepada pembangunan keupayaan ATM yang dirancang dan disusun berdasarkan senario cabaran serta ancaman semasa dan akan datang.

Peruntukan penyelenggaraan aset-aset utama ATM yang ditingkatkan kepada RM 2.3 bilion bagi tahun 2021 berbanding 2 bilion sebelum ini amat penting dalam memastikan kesiagaan pengoperasian aset-aset tersebut berada ditahap optimum dan berkeupayaan diatur gerak pada sebilang masa.

Keprihatinan kerajaan untuk terus memberi perhatian kepada aspek penyelenggaraan Rumah Keluarga Angkatan Tentera (RKAT) merupakan inisiatif yang mampu memberi keselesaan kepada anggota dan keluarga.

Di samping itu peruntukan sejumlah RM500 juta bagi pembinaan hampir 1,000 unit baharu RKAT dilihat sebagai penyumbang kepada peningkatan moral warga ATM dalam memastikan kebajikan mereka ini sentiasa diutamakan.

Berdasarkan ancaman semasa kini iaitu penularan pandemik COVID-19, ATM perlu sentiasa mengekalkan kesiagaannya bagi memenuhi keperluan tugas-tugas sekunder yang dilaksanakan oleh ketiga-tiga perkhidmatan iaitu Tentera Darat, Laut dan Udara dalam membantu Negara terutama Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) serta agensi-agensi penguatkuasaan dan keselamatan yang lain untuk memutuskan penularan wabak ini.

Pada masa yang sama, peningkatan keupayaan kesiagaan ATM melalui belanjawan yang diperuntukan, juga bersandarkan kepada isu-isu keselamatan semasa. Sebagai sebuah negara maritim dengan susur galur kebenuaan, aspek kesiagaan pertahanan tidak dapat lari dari isu mengenai Selat Melaka, Laut China Selatan dan juga cabaran serta ancaman semasa di Pantai Timur Sabah.

Melihat kepada pelaksanaan OP BENTENG bagi memastikan persempadanan negara tidak diceroboh oleh anasir asing terutamanya Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin (PATI), kesiagaan pertahanan maritim perlu diperkasa berdasarkan perairan negara yang luas.

Ini memerlukan peningkatan perolehan aset maritim terutamanya kepada Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) bagi membolehkan ia mengoptimumkan peranannya dalam memastikan kedaulatan perairan Negara sentiasa terpelihara. Begitu juga keupayaan kesiagaan kawalan persempadanan daratan yang panjang terutama di Sabah dan Sarawak yang memerlukan perancangan strategik Tentera Darat Malaysia (TDM) terutama aspek penempatan serta fasiliti pos-pos kawalan baharu.

Peruntukan belanjawan ini juga amat penting dalam Tentera Darat memberi tumpuan kepada aspek penyelenggaraan aset-asetnya. Berdasarkan geostrategik serantau, ini juga memerlukan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) sentiasa meningkatkan keupayaannya terutama pemantauan udara secara berterusan.

Perolehan kepada pesawat rondaan maritim (MPA), Pesawat Udara Tanpa Pemandu (UAV) dan radar pertahanan udara amat diperlukan bagi tugas pengawasan udara serta perisikan terutama operasi pemantauan di Laut China Selatan.

Demi menentukan tugas dan tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan dapat digalas dengan berkesan, amat penting bagi ATM mempunyai tahap kesiagaan aset yang bersesuaian. ATM memerlukan aset yang sentiasa berada pada tahap kesiagaan tertinggi agar keupayaan itu dapat dioperasikan sebilang masa sama ada semasa latihan, kesiagaan bertindak mahu pun keupayaan mobilisasi.

Berlatarbelakangkan keadaan ini, ATM menggalas amanah negara dengan memerlukan kita “to do more with less”. Untuk itu, ATM perlu bijak dalam menentukan setiap keperluan. Situasi ini memerlukannya untuk berbelanja secara berhemah dan pada masa yang sama meningkatkan keupayaan serta keberkesanan dalam melaksanakan tugas.

Adalah diakui bahawa kesiagaan ATM memerlukan peruntukan kewangan yang tinggi. Namun demikian, kita akur dengan keadaan semasa dan sewajarnya keseluruhan warga ATM perlu sentiasa peka terhadap betapa pentingnya untuk mengimbangi keupayaan yang dihajati berdasarkan peruntukan kewangan yang mampu disediakan oleh kerajaan.

PANGLIMA ANGKATAN TENTERA
KUALA LUMPUR 6 NOV 2020