KENAPA ASKAR WATANIAH PERLU DIBANGUNKAN

Ada beberapa sebab mengapa kita perlu membangunkan Askar Wataniah.

PERTAMA, negara kita tidak mampu menanggung kos pengurusan angkatan tetap yang besar.

KEDUA, aset negara yang kecil perlu dijurus menjadi dwi-fungsi, iaitu untuk membangun ekonomi negara dan untuk pertahanan negara melalui penglibatan dalam Askar Wataniah.

KETIGA, peperangan pada zaman ini bukan diantara dua angkatan tentera yang bermusuhan tetapi melibatkan seluruh negara dan rakyatnya. Oleh itu, kita perlukan rakyat yang berdaya `multi skills' dan berupaya menggunakan semua sumber negara secara bijaksana. Lantas dapat berfungsi menyokong jentera pertahanan negara dalam suasana getir.

KEEMPAT, saiz negara kita dan keadaan geografinya yang dipisahkan oleh Laut China Selatan memerlukan seluruh sumber negara di gembling bagi mewujudkan pertahanan kukuh dan saling membantu.

KELIMA, Dasar Pertahanan Negara (DPN) dengan jelas menerangkan bahawa dalam suasana konflik (negara bersiap sedia untuk berperang) semua sumber negara mesti dimobilisasikan.

KEENAM, kerajaan telah memutuskan untuk tidak mengimplementasikan `national service', maka, alternatif mewujudkan Pasukan Simpanan Tentera Darat yang mantap perlu direalisasikan.


Reference:
http://501c.blogspot.com/

Keperluan Pegawai ATM dari Skim PALAPES

Quoted from Dato` Shahrir Abdul Samad's website:

"Asalamualaikum Dato, Negara memerlukan golongan profesional memenuhi pelbagai ruang dan cabang perkhidmatan awam. Disamping itu kita juga mahukan pegawai dan anggota ATM dari kalangan profesional. Mereka ini samada terus berkhidmat atau berpindah ke agensi awam ataupun swasta dalam negara merupakan asset besar dalam system pertahanan negara. Sebagai contoh semua juruterbang dalam Tentera Laut Amerika Syarikat memiliki ijazah kejuruteraan sebelum memulakan karier sebagai juruterbang. Tentera Udara Amerika Syarikat juga memiliki juruterbang yang mempunyai pendidikan jauh lebih baik dari mana-mana agensi kerajaan yang lain. Mereka tidak perlu berkhidmat sehingga 10 tahun. Kerana kerajaan Amerika sedar, mereka ini akan menjadi asset sewaktu perang dan dengan membenarkan mereka berhenti dari perkhidmatan tetap, membolehkan lebih ramai juruterbang dilatih. Disamping mengelakkan perasaan jemu atau tidak puas hati jika mereka terpaksa meneruskan tugas sehingga 10 tahun. Disamping itu Amerika Syarikat boleh memanggil mereka ini kembali apabila keadaan terdesak dan mereka sentiasa mengekalkan sikap patriotisme kerana mereka telah dilatih dalam bidang ketenteraan secara sukarela terdahulu. Kalau anda lihat laman web semua program PALAPES di universiti-universiti Amerika Syarikat (ROTC) ianya dikendalikan oleh pegawai yang mempunyai ijazah dan terutama dalam bidang kejuruteraan jika sebelum ini mereka merupakan juruterbang. Mereka kemudian mengajar dan mengurus program ROTC ini dengan baik kerana mereka juga mempunyai ijazah kalau bukan ijazah lanjutan. Mereka ini telah menuntut di universiti dan faham apa yang dilalui sebagai pelajar dengan skim ROTC ini. Jadi semua pelajar yang menyertai program ROTC ini akan menyertai angkatan tentera Amerika Syarikat terus tanpa perlu lagi dilatih seperti di Malaysia antara 6 hingga 12 bulan. Kenapa? Kerana program ROTC mereka ini memang bertujuan untuk menyediakan bakal pegawai. Kita di sini yang sebaliknya yang berlaku. Graduan dengan tauliah Yang DiPertuan Agong tidak diserap terus. Yang pelik lagi, Kementerian Pertahanan akan mengeluarkan iklan hanya 1-2 bulan selepas pentauliahan oleh Yang DiPertuan Agong di ITPA. Seolah-olah mempersendakan majlis pengtauliahan ini sendiri. Semua ucapan oleh Panglima Angkatan Tentera (PAT) memuji mereka ini. Tetapi, apabila tawaran skim pagawai ATM keluar, segala kenyataan oleh Yang DiPertuan Agong dan PAT sendiri seolah-olah diperlekehkan oleh skim kemasukan yang pihak ATM sendiri sediakan. PALAPES tiada nilai lagi. Apa guna ATM terutamanya melatih 3 tahun para pelajar IPTA ini sehingga mendapat pengtauliahan Yang DiPertuan Agong tetapi mereka perlu sekali lagi memohon untuk mengikuti kursus menjadi pegawai ATM yang akan ditauliahkan sekali lagi? Tidakkah ini pelik? Lebih menarik bukan semua pegawai PALAPES ini diambil. Hanya minoriti yang terpilih. Dan ramai pulak yang memang kurang dari segi stamina dan pendidikan yang diterima masuk jika dibandingkan pemohon dari kalangan graduan PALAPES sendiri. Jika negara mengadakan skim PALAPES ini dengan tujuan asal, kita tidak lagi perlu risau dengan skim latihan semasa perkhidmatan untuk meningkatkan tahap pendidikan pegawai ATM. Kita juga tidak perlu mengadakan sekolah latihan kadet disemua 3 cabang ATM. Saya harap Dato dapat membawa isu ini supaya satu rombakan dapat dilakukan agar matlamat PALAPES sebagai skim persediaan untuk pegawai graduan ATM dilaksanakan demi pembangunan knowledged armed forces sendiri. Jika pelajar tidak sanggup menyertai PALAPES semasa di IPTA maka sudah semesti dia tidak memberi keutamaan kepada pertahanan negara dan tidak perlu diberi keutamaan menyertai skim pegawai ATM. Kerana mereka ini hanya mahu menyertai skim pegawai ATM atas lain-lain sebab dan bukan seperti tujuan dan matlamat mereka yang menyertai PALAPES. Pegawai PALAPES perlu membahagikan masa dengan baik demi menjalankan 2 tugas sebagai pelajar dan sebagai pegawai kadet dalam latihan ATM. KECUALI jika institusi mereka tidak ada program PALAPES, ATAU ATM memerlukan lebih ramai pegawai dalam bidang-bidang tertentu. Tetapi kita masih perlu memberi keutamaan kepada graduan PALAPES bila terdapat graduan dari skim yang sama. Para pegawai yang telah ditauliahkan ini juga perlu menyertai program yang lebih singkat dan menyertai ATM dengan pangkat yang diberi oleh Yang DiPertuan Agong yang terdahulu atau lebih tinggi mengikut bidang dan kelayakan. Meminggirkan para graduan PALAPES memberi isyarat yang salah kepada ramai anak muda dan pelajar pintar dan cemerlang di IPTA tentang sikap dan kepimpinan dalam Kementerian Pertahanan. Ini sudah tentu mempengaruhi persepsi dan psikologi pertahanan negara dalam jangka masa panjang. Lebih baik program ini dibatalkan jika ia hanya satu program untuk menghabiskan wang rakyat tanpa satu tujuan dan matlamat yag kukuh dan berfaedah. Kita tidak mahu program bertindan dan program yang dijalankan tidak terbuka atau yang dijalankan untuk menyelamatkan mereka yang mempunyai kepentingan dalam organisasi seperti ATM ini. Sudah tentu Dato mahu melihat barisan pertahanan negara dikuasai oleh mereka yang benar-benar sanggup mempertahankan negara melivatkan mereka yang membina kekuatan ini dari semua insitiusi pendidikan tinggi negara."

I am a product of PALAPES myself. I have been commissioned as Second Lieutenant this year. It would be better for those university graduates who joined PALAPES during their study be given chance or recommendation to join in the armed forces graduate officer intake straight away after they are commisioned preferably in the corp or service that best suit their qualification. Ex-PALAPES officers consist of graduates of various qualification which can be very useful to be utillised in the armed forces, especially those with Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science as we need those who are highly proffesional to manage and maintain the high end millitary assests. Or at least, give the priority of applying the post of researcher in STRIDE(Science and Technology Research In Defence) for those graduate who joined PALAPES during their study so that they can utilise their skills knowledges for the development of millitary technology. Why would ATM waste their talents while they can be utilised to further propel Malaysian Armed Forces to be a proffesional and highly advanced fighting forces??

16 September- The Day Malaysia was formed

Perhaps, not many who know that, today, 16th of September is Malaysia Day, the day Malaysia was formed. The Malaysia day is very significant although it's not really well known as compared to the Merdeka Day.

Malaysia day is the day to commemorate the formation of the establishment Malaysian Federation on 16th of September 1963. On this day, Malaya, North Borneo (now Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore
(Singapore left Malaysia in 9th of August 1965 to form a new state) joined together to form Malaysia. From this day onwards, Malaya was known as Malaysia.

At first, the formation of Malaysia was arranged to be on 1st of June 1963 but was later postponed to 31st of August 1963 so that it would coincide with the 6th Merdeka Day. Because of the objection from the Indonesian and Filipino towards the formation of Malaysia, this was further postponed to 16th of September the same year. The postponement to 16th was also to allow the United Nations (UN) to conduct the referendums in North Borneo and Sarawak regarding the 2 states participation in the Federation of Malaysia.
The current map of Malaysia

The formation of Malaysia, however were opposed by Indonesia strongly and lead to "Ganyang Malaysia" campaign by the president then, Sukarno and this is the start of Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (Konfrontasi) (1963-1966). This confrontation ended when General Suharto seized the power from Sukarno.

Ganyang MAlaysia campaign by Sukarno

trivia:
1)The change of the name from Malaya to Malaysia by adding additional "si" to the middle of Malaya was believed to be due to the new states (Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore) start with letter "s" while Singapore start with letter "si" hence we get Malay-si-a

2) Due to the formation of Malaysia, there had been changes made to the the original flag of the FederationMalaya with 11 red and white stripes and 11-pointed star ( which represent 11 states of the Malaya) by adding 3 additional stripes and 3 points to the star to make Malaysia flag with 14 stripes and 14 star points as we have today.

However, after the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, there's no stripe and point removed from our flag. but instead, the 14 stripes and points remained to symbolise 13 states + 1 Federal Territory (Which is Kuala Lumpur then). Even now we have 3 Federal Territories (KL, Labuan, and Putrajaya, the flag still remain unchanged as the 14th stripe and point now represent the Federal Territories

It was also said that the 14th stripe and point symbolizes Malaysia waiting for Singapore to come back some day.


Federation of Malaya flag (1950-1963)

Federation of Malaysia flag (1963-now)

3) Jalur Gemilang was declared as the name of Malaysian flag by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in 31st of August 1997 which is the 40th Malaysia Merdeka Day on 11.58 midnight at Dataran Merdeka.

4) While 31st of August is recognised as the Malaysia's Independent Day, the independent day of Sabah and Sarawak is actually 16th Sept. And 16th of September 1963 is the actual independent day of Singapore from the British colonisation (Singapore's Independent day is in 9th of August 1965 to commemorate the independence from Malaysia). 16th of September is also the birthday of the former PM of Singapore, Lee Kun Yew

5) 16th of Sept is the public holiday for Sabah, as the Yang Di-pertuan Negari of Sabah also falls on this day. However, Malaysia day is not the national holiday of Malaysia.

6)The UN completed the referendums in North Borneo and Sarawak in 14th of September1963, just 2 days before the Malaysia Day.

I think, the Malaysia Day has to be declared as National Day as well and every year, the National Day celebration have to be from 31st August to 16th September. And, Malaysia day have to be declared as public holiday as well to recognise the significance of this day.

So, everyone, remember this day as another significant day of our nation-The day Malaysia was actually born. And the day of unity of all Malaysians....



Selamat Hari Malaysia to all..........and Salam perpaduan

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/my1963.html#1950
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalur_Gemilang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_in_Malaysia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia%E2%80%93Malaysia_confrontation
Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah, RTM2

Welcome to Malaysia, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman

bIt's official, 3rd of Sept 2009 will be the proud moment for the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Royal Malaysian Navy, the first of our Scorpene class Submarines, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman has already arrived at National Hydrography Centre, Pulau Indah on 9.20 am. The sub sailed from Toulon, France on 11th of July for 54 days before arriving at Port Klang. KD TAR had made stopover at eddah, Djibouti and Cochin en route. The RMN officers and sailors had successfully completed their four years of stringent training in France.

KD TAR docked at Port Klang

The pioneer crew of KD TAR consist of 32 officers and sailors commandered by Cdr Zulhelmy Ithnain. The arrival of KD TAR were welcomed by Yang Di Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, RMN's captain-in-chief Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) chief General Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin, RMN chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and the family members of the submarine's crews.

Tuanku Mizan shaking hand with KD TAR crews

The multiracial crews of KD TAR
One of the KD TAR officer with his family members.

After the arrival, Tuanku Mizan and PM spent his time to visit inside the submarine.

Tuanku Mizan boarding the sub

PM boarding the sub

KD TAR will sail to the Lumut RMN base this saturday for a three-day stopover before its crew take a break for Hari Raya Puasa. It will then proceed to its home base at Teluk Sepanggar, Sabah.

Very proud to see Royal Malaysian Navy flag flying on top of the submarine

After the visit, Tuanku Mizan launched the commemorative stamps and first day covers in conjunction with the submarine's arrival in the country.

Tuanku Mizan Zainal officiates the launch of the commemorative stamps designed to mark this historical moment.

The second submarine, KD Tun Razak, is expected home in the end of this year. The procurement of the submarines will enhance the capabilities of the RMN. This will be the baby step into the era of development and progress. So, to all citizens, just sleep tight and rest assure that our waters is properly safeguarded by the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Hope for the RMN to be the best Armada in this region. Sedia Berkorban!!


*Technical details of the scorpene class submarine:

Displacement:	1450 tonnes (compact) 1,700 tonnes (normal) 2,000 tones (AIP)
Length:	59.4 m (compact) 66.4 m (normal) 76.2 m (AIP)
Propulsion:	Diesel-Electric, Batteries, and AIP
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h) (submerged) 12 kn (22 km/h) (surfaced)
Range:	6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) at 8 knots (surfaced) 550 nmi (1,020 km) at 5 knots (submerged)
Endurance:	40 days (compact) 50 days (normal) 50+21 days (AIP)
Test depth:	>300 meters
Complement:	31
Armament:	6 x 533-mm torpedo tubes for 18 torpedoes or SM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, 30 mines in place of torpedoes

Sources:
http://www.nst.com.my/articles/20090903155010/Article
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=437705
http://www.bharian.com.my/Friday/Nasional/20090904000845/Article/index_html
http://militaryofmalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/09/kd-tunku-abdul-rahman-selamat-tiba.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorp%C3%A8ne_class_submarine