armed forces – SeaDemon Says

May 3, 2018May 3, 2018

22 Tahun Tentera Merana

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Semasa saya berkhidmat dalam Angkatan Tentera Malaysia sebagai seorang pegawai lebih tiga dekad yang lalu, gaji saya sebagai seorang Leftenan Muda hanyalah RM700 dengan sekali kenaikan sahaja dalam pangkat tersebut berjumlah RM750. Itu sebelum dipotong. Elaun perkhidmatan yang diterima adalah sebanyak RM115 manakala elaun sewa rumah bagi mereka berpangkat Kapten ke bawah hanyalah RM450 sebulan.

Adalah menjadi suatu mimpi buruk sekiranya ditempatkan di bandar-bandar besar. Kuarters kediaman pegawai mahupun lain-lain pangkat tidak pernah mencukupi dan hanya dikhususkan buat mereka yang berjawatan penting sahaja seperti Pegawai Memerintah, Ajutan, Ketua Cawangan-Cawangan. Jika anda tidak berjawatan sedemikian maka bersedialah untuk menyewa di luar.

Mimpi ngeri saya adalah apabila saya ditempatkan di Markas Pemerintahan Pendidikan Udara di Jalan Azyze, Pulau Pinang dan telahpun berkahwin. Sukar benar untuk mendapatkan rumah sewa yang elok dan mampu. Harga sewa sebuah unit flat di Tanjung Tokong pada ketika itu adalah sekitar RM250 tetapi tidak pernah ada yang kosong. Rumah teres pula sewanya RM800 sebulan. Untuk kuarters (rumah keluarga) tentera pula, selain kami di Tanjung Bungah, terdapat elemen tentera darat seperti Markas 2 Divisyen, Kem Batu Uban, dan Kem Sungai Ara. Kuarters di Pangkalan Udara Butterworth pula penuh dengan anggota dan pegawai yang berkhidmat di sana.

Maka saya terpaksa menyewa di rumah setinggan di sebuah kampung yang tidak lagi wujud, iaitu Kampung Haji Mahmood. Bayaran sewanya ialah sebanyak RM150 sebulan termasuk elektrik dan air. Ianya bukanlah rumah. Sebaliknya hanyalah bilik yang disambung di belakang rumah tuan rumah – satu bilik yang juga merupakan ruang makan dan ruang tamu, satu sudut untuk menempatkan dapur masak, satu bilik mandi yang juga merupakan tandas disebabkan ketiadaan tandas. Maka, membuang air besar adalah di atas lantai dan kemudiannya disimbah.

Ramai di antara pegawai dan anggota yang duduk bujang di mes, berjumpa dengan keluarga seminggu atau dua minggu sekali. Ada yang berulang ke Pulau Pinang setiap hari walaupun tinggal di Gurun (semasa itu lebuhraya PLUS hanya wujud di antara Bukit Kayu Hitam hingga Gurun, dan Changkat Jering hingga Ipoh) sebab sewa di sana lebih murah. Beberapa orang anggota mengalami kecederaan teruk akibat kemalangan jalanraya untuk datang atau balik kerja.

Kedai PERNAMA yang ada di Jalan Gajah, Tanjung Tokong dan di Kem Sungai Ara bukanlah macam PERNAMA yang ada sekarang. Dulu tidak berapa ada barangan dapur sebagaimana yang ada di PERNAMA sekarang. Maka, pukul 4.15 petang, saya bersama beberapa orang pegawai dan anggota lain akan pergi memancing sama ada di Teluk Bahang ataupun di seberang jalan berhadapan dengan rumah sewa saya (kini telah ditambak dan didirikan apartmen-apartmen mewah).

Saya mempunyai sebuah peti ais kecil yang dibeli semasa bujang, sebuah televisyen warna 12-inci, dan sebuah radio. Untuk televisyen, saya dikenakan pembayaran lesen sebanyak RM24 setahun, untuk radio pula RM12 setahun untuk setiap radio.

kghjmahmood — Kampung Haji Mahmood kini tidak wujud lagi. Tiada lagi rumah mampu sewa di Pulau Pinang

Di Kuala Lumpur, rakan saya berpangkat Kapten yang bertugas di Kementerian Pertahanan ketika itu terpaksa menyewa di sebuah rumah setinggan di Jalan Jelatek (kini tapak Kondo Sri Maya). Seorang Sarjan di bawah saya menyewa rumah kampung di Kampung Tengah, Batu 12 Puchong (berhampiran One City Subang Jaya kini) dan berulang ke Kementerian Pertahanan.

Kalau dapat kuarters pun, iaitu semasa di Alor Setar, daripada tiga bilik yang ada, saya hanya gunakan dua buah bilik. Satu untuk saya dan anak-anak, satu lagi untuk tetamu jika ada. Bilik yang satu lagi itu tidak pernah saya masuk sebab kadang-kadang terdapat ular tedung yang memburu tikus-tikus di dalam rumah.

Begitulah GAHnya kami berpakaian seragam pegawai tentera dan berjalan di celah lorong-lorong perumahan setinggan setiap hari, naik kapcai tidak bercukai jalan untuk pergi bertugas, tinggalkan isteri dan anak-anak dalam suatu suasana tidak selamat. Suatu keadaan yang tidak berubah di bawah sebuah pentadbiran selama 22 tahun.

Berbeza sekali keadaannya sekarang. Kerajaan yang ada kini banyak memikirkan kebajikan para pegawai dan anggota ATM. Saya lihat skim demi skim disediakan untuk ATM, bukan sahaja dari segi kuarters, malah juga rumah mampu milik. Tidak cukup dengan itu, bantuan perumahan juga dipanjangkan kepada para veteran ATM yang berkelayakan.

Screen Shot 2018-05-03 at 08.27.44 — Rumah keluarga untuk lain-lain pangkat kini adalah jauh lebih baik dari para pegawai berpangkat Mejar semasa zaman saya berkhidmat

Untuk warga ATM yang bertugas, contohnya di sekitar Kuala Lumpur, selain kemudahan PERNAMA yang jauh lebih baik, diwujudkan pula Pasar Tani yang menawarkan harga lebih murah dari harga jualan biasa.

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Kebajikan dari segi penjagaan kesihatan warga ATM juga ditambah baik. Kini terdapat lima buah hospital angkatan tentera (HAT) utama yang telah dibina atau dinaik taraf di seluruh negara, tidak termasuk Rumah Sakit Angkatan Tentera yang terdapat di unit-unit serta pangkalan-pangkalan.

Para veteran ATM juga tidak lagi perlu hanya menagih simpati daripada hospital-hospital kerajaan dan HAT, kerana akan dibina sebuah hospital khusus untuk para veteran ATM, manakala enam buah poliklinik yang turut mengandungi pusat rawatan hemodialisis untuk menjaga kebajikan kesihatan para veteran ATM juga diwujudkan. Sebuah poliklinik untuk warga dan veteran ATM kini sedang rancak di bina di Kem Penrissen, Kuching.

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Latihan-latihan peralihan untuk bakal pesara tentera juga kini lebih baik dan diurustadbir secara teratur. Tidak seperti di zaman saya di mana bakal pesara diberi kursus berpusat selama dua minggu dan kemudiannya dilepaskan seperti kerbau tidak bertambat selama enam hingga lebih setahun, dan kemudiannya kecundang di dunia awam kerana tidak mempunyai kemahiran yang diiktiraf.

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Dulu para pesara tentera tidak berpencen hanya akan menerima saguhati menurut pangkat terakhir dan jumlah tahun perkhidmatan, dan pandai-pandailah nak hidup di luar.

Kerajaan sekarang memandang serius golongan veteran yang terbiar ini dan membuat satu inisiatif yang diberi nama Bantuan Bakti Negara (BBN) untuk para veteran dari golongan B40 yang menerima BR1M. Walaupun hanya RM1,200 setahun untuk golongan veteran B40 dan RM600 untuk semua veteran tidak berpencen berumur 60 tahun ke atas, ianya merupakan bonus buat veteran tidak berpencen yang terbiar di bawah sebuah pentadbiran selama 22 tahun sebelum ini.

Untuk bakal veteran tidak berpencen, mereka diberi pilihan untuk menyertai Skim Anuiti Veteran (SAVe) di mana mereka akan menerima bantuan setiap bulan sehingga akhir hayat.

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Anak-anak warga ATM juga tidak dipinggirkan. Selain bantuan kemasukan ke kolej dan universiti, peluang mengukuhkan asas pendidikan juga kini disediakan dengan cadangan pembinaan sebuah Maktab Rendah Sains Mara di Bera, di mana 30 peratus kuota kemasukan disediakan untuk anak-anak warga dan veteran ATM.

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Banyak lagi inisiatif-inisiatif yang telah diwujudkan dalam sembilan tahun pertama pentadbiran Najib Razak yang menyokong kepimpinan Hishammuddin Hussein dalam membantu Panglima ATM dan Panglima Perkhidmatan-Perkhidmatan menaikkan moral melalui kebajikan yang lebih baik bukan sahaja untuk warga ATM, malah untuk para veteran ATM juga. Sembilan tahun yang lebih baik dari keseluruhan peluang 22 tahun yang telah diberikan kepada seorang Perdana Menteri sebelum ini yang tidak pernah mengambil berat hal ehwal kebajikan warga dan veteran ATM.

Nikmat apa lagi yang hendak kita dustakan?

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April 25, 2018

Veteran ATM: Semua Yang Dituntut Telahpun Ditunaikan

Lazim kita akan dapati mesej-mesej yang ditularkan sama ada di dalam group WhatsApp mahupun Facebook adalah merupakan cerita-cerita lama yang dikitar semula kerana ketandusan isu untuk dimainkan. Melihat kepada sikap para pembaca dan mereka yang gemar tularkan mesej-mesej ini, kita dapat lihat betapa ceteknya pemahaman mereka mengenai perjalanan pentadbiran sesebuah kerajaan. Bak kata pepatah Inggeris, “Rome was not built in a day“, begitu juga dengan kerajaan. Kerajaan perlu membuat perancangan jangkamasa pendek (5 tahun atau satu penggal, contoh Rancangan Malaysia Ke-11) dan jangkamasa panjang yang berdasarkan road map (contoh Transformasi Nasional 2050). Menjanjikan sesuatu sepertimana yang terdapat di dalam manifesto-manifesto pembangkang bukan caranya untuk mentadbir. Sesuatu yang popular itu tidak semestinya baik untuk sesebuah negara – contoh: Adolf Hitler.

Sejak bubarnya Dewan Rakyat, banyak isu lama diketengahkan semula, dan di antaranya adalah isu yang melibatkan kebajikan veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (Veteran ATM). Terkini, ditularkan semula lima tuntutan oleh kumpulan Pahlawan yang dibuat dua tahun yang lepas. Pihak Kementerian Pertahanan melalui Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veteran mungkin pernah menjawab isu ini. Tidak mengapalah. Saya akan menjawab semula setiap tuntutan yang dikemukakan itu.

Tuntutan 1: Menuntut Kenaikan Pencen Pesara Veteran ATM Selaras Dengan Kenaikan Gaji Semasa

Apabila seseorang itu memasuki perkhidmatan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM), beliau akan tertakluk kepada skim perkhidmatan ketika itu, manakala pencen yang diberikan adalah tertakluk kepada gaji akhir anggota atau pegawai tersebut.

Pada tahun 2013, setelah sekian lama berada ditakuk skim yang kuno, skim perkhidmatan yang baru telah diperkenalkan oleh ATM. Ini selaras dengan penambahbaikan sistem Tred (Ketukangan) dan Band. Skim ini memerlukan kelayakan akademik yang lebih tinggi. Sudah tentu ianya tidak sama dengan skim yang para pesara Veteran ATM terima semasa mereka di dalam perkhidmatan. Adakah adil, sebagai contoh, pesara yang dahulunya menyertai skim pegawai ATM menggunakan hanya kelulusan SPM Gred 1 menerima skim yang sama dengan para pegawai sekarang yang rata-ratanya pemegang ijazah?

Pun begitu, pelarasan amaun pencen berdasarkan penambahbaikan skim gaji kakitangan awam masih dilaksanakan sehingga skim SSM 2012. Mulai 1 Januari 2013, Kerajaan telah meluluskan kenaikan pencen sebanyak DUA PERATUS setiap tahun kepada SEMUA penerima pencen bagi menampung kos sara hidup yang kian meningkat.

Ini bermakna, kenaikan pencen sebanyak dua peratus adalah lebih baik kerana jika pelarasan gaji dilaksanakan oleh Kerajaan setiap lima tahun, para pesara telahpun menerima di antara 10 hingga 12 peratus kenaikan pencen mereka dalam tempoh tersebut.

Tuntutan 2: Menuntut Kerajaan Memberi Imbuhan Sebanyak RM6,000 Setahun Kepada Veteran ATM Tidak Berpencen

Sejak Merdeka, belum pernah ada satu skim pun yang dilaksanakan yang betul-betul dapat memberi sedikit bantuan kepada para Veteran ATM yang tamatkan perkhidmatan dengan baik tanpa pencen. Saya termasuk dalam golongan ini. Namun, saya amat berasa gembira dengan dua buah inisiatif Kerajaan yang diumumkan tahun lepas yang boleh membantu Veteran ATM dari golongan ini.

Untuk Veteran ATM tidak berpencen yang tergolong dalam kumpulan penerima BR1M yang telah menamatkan perkhidmatan sebelum November 2017, skim Bantuan Bakti Negara (BBN) diperkenalkan. Untuk golongan ini, mereka menerima sebanyak RM1,200 setahun di atas BR1M yang mereka terima daripada Kerajaan. Bagi mereka yang berumur 60 tahun ke atas pula, dan tidak tergolong dalam kumpulan penerima BR1M, mereka menerima sebanyak RM600 setahun.

Ini adalah merupakan bantuan untuk menampung kos sara hidup, bukannya elaun sara hidup oleh Kerajaan. Sebagai Veteran yang telah diberi berbagai jenis kemahiran dan kekuatan daya mental, kita patut lebih gigih mencari pendapatan sendiri dan menerima bantuan-bantuan yang disebutkan tadi sebagai bonus.

Skim yang kedua pula adalah untuk mereka yang berhenti sebelum bersara bermula bulan November 2017. Bagi golongan ini, satu inisiatif yang dinamakan Skim Anuiti Veteran (SAVe) dilakukan oleh Kerajaan. Melalui skim ini, mereka yang menamatkan perkhidmatan sebelum 21 tahun dan memilih pilihan SAVe akan menerima bayaran anuiti secara bulanan bagi membantu mereka dalam menampung kos sara hidup.

Tuntutan 3. Hak Mewariskan Pencen Kepada Isteri Yang Dikahwini Selepas Tamat Perkhidmatan Manakala Pencen Terbitan Harus Untuk Sepanjang Hayat

Saya harap rakan-rakan Veteran ATM ambil perhatian bahawa sebelum ini pemberian pencen terbitan kepada balu yang dikahwini selepas tamat perkhidmatan hanyalah selama tempoh 12 1/2 tahun sahaja selepas tarikh persaraan. Namun, berkuatkuasa 1 Januari 2012, Kerajaan telah meluluskan untuk memanjangkan tempoh tersebut kepada 20 tahun selepas persaraan. Penetapan ini adalah selari dengan Akta Pencen, 1980 (Akta 227) bagi pesara perkhidmatan awam yang lain.

Tuntutan 4. Menuntut Penyeragaman Pencen Hilang Upaya (PHU) Dan Ex-Gratia Untuk Semua Veteran Tentera Hilang Upaya Semasa Operasi Ketenteraan/Pertempuran Tanpa Mengira Tahun Akhir Perkhidmatan

Kerajaan ada memberi Faedah Hilang Upaya (FHU) kepada anggota yang mendapat hilang upaya (HU) kekal yang diperkaitkan dengan tugas semasa perkhidmatan. Kadarnya pula dihitung berdasarkan gaji dan pangkat semasa veteran tersebut ditimpa kecederaan serta peratus HU yang ditetapkan oleh Lembaga Perubatan.

Bayaran HU tersebut terbahagi kepada dua iaitu bayaran secara one-off (ganjaran) bagi peratusan HU yang kurang dari 20 peratus atau bayaran secara bulanan (pencen HU) bagi peratusan HU sekurang-kurangnya 20 peratus.

Kemudian, Kerajaan juga menyediakan Ex-Gratia Kerja Perkhidmatan ATM yang telah diluluskan pada tahun 2017. Skim ini diberi kepada semua anggota yang mengalami HU kekal atau meninggal dunia akibat kejadian yang dikaitkan dengan tugas semasa perkhidmatan tanpa mengambil kira tarikh mereka mendapat kecederaan atau meninggal dunia.

Kaedah pembayaran kepada mereka yang layak adalah berpandukan syarat dan kadar bayaran pampasan di bawah skim tersebut melalui Perintah Majlis Angkatan Tentera Bilangan 9 Tahun 2008 (PMAT 9/2008), dan adalah tetakluk kepada syarat-syarat seperti had minimum bayaran pukal sebanyak RM2,000 dan bayaran bulanan sebanyak RM200.

Bayaran ini juga telah berkuat kuasa mulai 1 Januari 2017 bagi penambahbaikan untuk penerima pencen hilang upaya yang tidak menerima pencen perkhidmatan veteran yang layak telah dibayar Skim Hilang Upaya Veteran mulai Januari 2017 dengan kadar minima RM500.00 sebulan dan kadar maksima sebanyak RM2000.00 sebulan.

Tuntutan 5. Menuntut Kerajaan Menyediakan Sebidang Tanah Kepada Veteran ATM Selepas Persaraan

Sebenarnya, ini memang sudah ada disediakan oleh Kerajaan sejak tahun 1973 lagi. Malangnya, ramai Veteran ATM yang tidak peka mengenai keistimewaan yang telah diberikan oleh Kerajaan. Perintah Majlis Angkatan Tentera Bilangan 7 Tahun 1973 (PMAT 7/1973) ada menyatakan bahawa seseorang anggota itu boleh memohon untuk memiliki tanah Kerajaan dan permohonan tersebut boleh dibuat melalui Kementerian Pertahanan.

Walau bagaimanapun, Kementerian Pertahanan mahupun kerajaan Persekutuan tidak mempunyai hak untuk meluluskan permohonan tanah tersebut kerana hak hal ehwal tanah adalah di bawah bidang kuasa kerajaan negeri seperti yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Oleh itu, Kerajaan Persekutuan mahupun Kementerian Pertahanan tidak boleh mewajibkan Kerajaan Negeri untuk meluluskan permohonan tersebut.

Kesimpulan

Saya dapati ramai Veteran ATM yang tidak peka mengenai keistimewaan yang telah disediakan untuk mereka, dan mudah diperdaya oleh mereka yang mempunyai agenda tersendiri. Ramai juga di kalangan Veteran ATM yang menganggap sudah pun berdaftar dengan Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veteran (JHEV) setelah menamatkan perkhidmatan.

Hakikatnya, mereka perlu pergi ke pejabat JHEV berhampiran untuk mendaftar agar dapat merasai keistimewaan yang telah disediakan oleh kerajaan untuk membantu kehidupan pasca tentera. Nasihat saya kepada mereka, pergilah mendaftar sebagai seorang Veteran, dapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenai keistimewaan serta kemudahan yang disediakan. Bertanyalah juga kepada pihak JHEV mengenai persatuan-persatuan Veteran ATM yang berdaftar dengan JHEV berhampiran dengan tempat tinggal anda dan sentiasalah berhubung dengan persatuan-persatuan tersebut agar dapat mereka membantu salurkan bantuan jika perlu.

Janganlah kita beremosi tidak menentu dan marah apabila dicucuk. Maklumat sebenar ada dihujung jari dan gunakanlah kebijaksanaan kita sebagai bekas tentera terlatih untuk menilai setiap maklumat yang diterima.

April 2, 2018April 2, 2018

Matai Pakatan! Mundu Pakatan Wajib Ditenggelamkan

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Apabila demam pilihanraya semakin panas, akan terbit suara-suara sumbang Pakatan yang bukan sahaja menyerang parti memerintah, malah semua institusi kerajaan akan diserang dan difitnah demi mengelirukan para pengundi. Institusi Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) juga tidak lekang dari budaya fitnah yang menjadi darah daging Pakatan.

Terkini, Tentera Laut Di Raja Malaysia menjadi mangsa fitnah Pakatan. Nik Nazmi yang merupakan exco Kerajaan Negeri Selangor membuat fitnah bahawa kapal-kapal perang milik TLDM adalah kecil dan banyak yang tersadai kerana faktor usia.

Sekiranya Nik Nazmi menghabiskan masa menggunakan Internet untuk membaca fakta dan mengurangkan masa beliau menyebar fitnah, beliau tentu akan dapat lihat bahawa kapal-kapal milik TLDM sentiasa menjalankan rondaan bukaan sahaja di Zon Ekonomi Eksklusif (EEZ), malah juga di perairan Laut Sulu di timur negeri Sabah. Bagusnya TLDM ialah setiap buah kapal serta unit-unit sokongan mempunyai akaun Twitter dan kita dapat melihat aktiviti-aktiviti am yang dilakukan oleh kapal-kapal milik TLDM dalam memelihara kedaulatan perairan negara ini.

Kita mungkin mempunyai kapal-kapal yang telah berusian setengah abad seperti KD Hang Tuah yang kini menjalankan peranan sebagai friget latihan, serta bot-bot peronda kelas Kris seperti KD Sri Johor dan KD Sri Perlis. KD Sri Johor dan KD Sri Perlis masih aktif membuat rondaan di perairan Laut Sulu. Hakikat bahawa ketiga-tiga kapal tersebut masih dalam perkhidmatan aktif membuktikan bahawa rejim penyelenggaraan TLDM adalah amat baik sekali.

Program peremajaan serta pemerkasaan TLDM sepatutnya telah berjalan dengan lancar kalau budaya pemberian kontrak kepada kroni yang telah diamalkan oleh Pengerusi Pakatan Harapan tidak berlaku. Mungkin Nik Nazmi patut ajukan pertanyaan kepada Pengerusi kesayangannya bagaimana pemberian kontrak tersebut boleh berlaku, hinggakan kerajaan terpaksa mengeluarkan lebih kewangan untuk menyiapkan enam buah kapal peronda kelas Kedah sedangkan bajet yang diberikan kepada kroni Pengerusi mereka itu telah habis digunakan. Akibat terpaksa menyiapkan apa yang tidak disiapkan oleh kroni tersebut, program pemerkasaan serta peremajaan aset TLDM tergendala buat seketika waktu.

Hanya kini apabila kerajaan Najib Razak bergabung usaha dengan Panglima TLDM, baru lah dapat TLDM merealisasikan usaha peremajaan dan pemerkasaan TLDM dengan program 15-to-5 yang akan menyaksikan TLDM menggunakan hanya lima kelas aset tempur dan sokongan berbanding dengan 15 yang diwarisi dari zaman Pengerusi Pakatan Harapan tersebut.

Kenapa kapal TLDM lebih kecil berbanding dengan negara luar? Saiz kapal bukannya menjadi ukuran kekuatan sesuatu tentera laut. Kapal pengangkut pesawat milik Tentera Laut DiRaja Thailand Chakri Nareubet adalah kapal pengangkut pesawat (CV) yang paling kecil di dunia. Panjangnya hanyalah 201 meter berbanding kapal pengangkut helikopter (LHD) milik Tentera Laut Amerika Syarikat (USN) iaitu USS Wasp yang panjangnya 257 meter. Dan USS Wasp hanyalah separuh panjang kapal-kapal pengangkut pesawat (CVN) milik USN.

Kapal pemusnah INS Eilat milik Tentera Laut Israel yang panjangnya 100 meter telah ditenggelamkan pada tahun 1967 menggunakan peluru berpandu jenis Styx yang dilancarkan dari sebuah bot peronda jenis Komar milik Tentera Laut Mesir pada tahun 1967 yang panjangnya hanya 25 meter.

Kapal pemusnah milik USN iaitu USS Cole yang panjangnya 105 meter telah dilumpuhkan oleh sebuah bot fiberglass berukuran 4 meter pada tahun 2000. Serangan oleh bot fiberglass tersebut telah mengorbankan 15 orang anak kapal dan mencederakan 39 yang lain.

Ini membuktikan bahawa saiz kapal bukannya menjadi ukuran, tetapi saiz serta jenis kapal perlulah memenuhi doktrin milik Tentera Laut DiRaja Malaysia. Tetapi saya yakin Nik Nazmi tidak faham akan konsep doktrin Angkatan Tentera Malaysia. Dakwaan serta tohmahan yang dilemparkan beliau terhadap TLDM menunjukkan betapa ceteknya minda beliau.

Kurangkan berpolitik, dan kurangkan bermain game-game perang di komputer peribadi ataupun telefon pintar. Realiti adalah amat berbeza dari hiburan yang disajikan di alam maya tersebut.

November 22, 2016

Defence: Friendship Expanded Through Exercise Aman Youyi 3/2016

A major disaster strikes and the damage to infrastructure massive. Despite an overwhelming situation, friendly countries extend assistance through their military to rescue and treat injured survivors as well as provide humanitarian relief aid.

That was the scenario displayed during the opening ceremony of Exercise Aman Youyi 3/2016, conducted jointly by the Malaysian Armed Forces and the People’s Liberation Army of China at the Paya Indah Wetlands in Dengkil, Selangor.

The exercise uses humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as theme is conducted through Staff Exercise (STAFFEX) with the aim to establish a Standard Operating Procedure and enhance interoperability in the event of a disaster.

This exercise is another major development and an extension to the exercise by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak to further enhance the 42-year old friendship between Malaysia and China last month.

Officiating the ceremony was Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces, General Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr) Haji Zulkifeli bin Mohd Zin and Chief of Joint Staff PLA, General Fang Fenghui.

In his speech General Haji Zulkifeli said that humanitarian assistance and disaster relief was adopted as the backdrop of the exercise because the Asia-Pacific region suffered approximately 160 disasters in 2015 resulting in 16,000 deaths and a loss of about USD45.1 billion.

Therefore the synchronisation of collective multinational measures will determine the efficiency and success of humanitarian assistance.

Also in attendance were the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia His Excellency Dr Huang Huikang, and Team Leader for the Royal Thai Armed Forces observers Major General Thitichai Tiantong.

A total of 410 personnel are involved in this exercise namely 215 from Malaysia and 195 from China, with 10 observers from the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

November 10, 2016November 10, 2016

Defence: The RMAF And TNI-AU Strengthen Ties

In another step for Malaysia into strengthening ties with its neighbours, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) plays its part by strengthening its cameraderie with its Indonesian counterpart, the Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU).

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong Almu’tasimu Billahi Muhibbuddin Tuanku AlHaj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah as the Field Marshall and Commander-in-Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces saw it fit to bestow upon the Chief of Staff of the TNI-AU, Air Chief Marshal Agus Supriatna, the honorary award of the Darjah Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera (PGAT).

To present the award on behalf of His Majesty was the Deputy Minister of Defence, Dato’ Sri Mohd Johari bin Baharum. The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Defence in Kuala Lumpur.

Air Chief Marshal Agus Supriatna saluting Dato’ Sri Mohd Johari bin Baharum after receiving the Darjah Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera

ACM Agus began his military career in 1983 and became a A-4 Skyhawk pilot from the No.11 Squadron based at the Lanud Iswahjudi Madiun (Iswahyudi Air Force Base) in East Java town of Maospati in the Magetan Province. He was promoted to his current post in 2015.

ACM Agus who is on a two-day working visit to Malaysia also paid a coutesy call to the RMAF Chief, General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Roslan bin Saad TUDM at the latter’s office.

The ceremony was attended by senior officers from the RMAF, the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Malaysian Army as well as members of the TNI-AU delegation.

Good neighbours and brothers-in-arms: Chief of RMAF General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Roslan bin Saad TUDM having a chat with his TNI-AU counterpart Air Chief Marshal Agus Supriatna at the Ministry of Defence

January 28, 2015

Reduced To Ranks

An Indian man displays the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote in Mumbai India - source www.dailymail.co.uk — An Indian man displays the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote in Mumbai India – source http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Another Air Force personnel has been punished after being found guilty of more or less the same case as former Major Zaidi Ahmad. Quoting an unnamed source, the Malaysian Insider reported that Flight Sergeant Jamal Ibrahim “…was not brought to court but was still punished for the alleged offence,” something that I find outrageously absurd. However, coming from the Malaysian Insider, I am not at all surprised.

The source said Jamal was given an option whether to fight his case in the martial court or be tried by the commanding officer and he chose the latter.

Before this gets blown by idiots who do not understand the system, first of all, whiners should not join the Armed Forces. If you have problems following orders, get a pound for yourself at the SPCA or at a similar organisation. Secondly, people are already starting to say that Zaidi’s dismissal from the service versus Jamal’s reduction of rank reeks of political arm twisting.

Zaidi was an officer. Jamal is not. An officer holds the King’s Commission, an enlisted man does not. An enlisted man’s rank is given by the service chief. An officer up to the rank of Captain gets his promotion from the Armed Forces Council, while Major and above get it from the King himself, as recommended by the Armed Forces Council. Which is why you no longer have promotions exams once you have attained the rank of a Major.

So why was Zaidi tried by a court-martial and not given the option to be tried by his Commanding Officer like Jamal? Why the harsh treatment?

Section 96 (1) of the Armed Forces Act, 1972 clearly states the following:

After investigating a charge against a commissioned officer below the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel or its equivalent, or against a Warrant Officer may, if an Authority has powers under the following provisions of this Part to deal with it summarily, be so dealt with by that Authority in accordance with those provisions

So, why didn’t that authority deal with Zaidi summarily? Firstly, Zaidi did not have a Commanding Officer. He WAS the Commanding Officer. Furthermore, Section 89 (7) of the Act also mentions that “where an officer is sentenced to imprisonment, he is also sentenced to be dismissed with disgrace from His Majesty’s service.” As only His Majesty has the power to dismiss an officer, only a Court-Martial could try him.

Jamal on the other hand is a serviceman. A non-commissioned officer. Not even an Appointed Officer or a Warrant Officer, let along a Commissioned Officer. His Commanding Officer has the choice of giving him lesser punishments as prescribed by the Act including detention of not more than 90 days, or anything lesser. He was also, at the beginning of his summary trial by the Commanding Officer, be given the choice of either being tried by a court-martial, or by his Commanding Officer. We know he chose the latter. The normal proceeding would follow, in accordance to the law, with the unit’s Adjutant advising. On arraignment, he will be read the charge according to the charge sheet and asked for his plea. I would expect Jamal to plead guilty, given that that would give him a lesser punishment. With his service taken into consideration, the Commanding Officer gave him the lesser punishment of reduction of rank (demotion, for those not well read) when it could have been any number of days in a gazetted detention center.

So, there you go. No one was given a harsher treatment. Everyone was given due process according to the law. Now, please stop politicising the Armed Forces. That kind of thing is only done by anarchists bent on sowing the seeds of a civil war, unless you are one.

And for those in the Armed Forces, if you think you cannot serve the country apolitically, get out at the earliest opportunity you can get and once you get your NRIC, go ahead and peddle your political agenda.

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015

Conduct Unbecoming

“Loose Talk Could Sink This Ship”

“The Walls Have Ears”

The above are among reminders you would normally see then in a military establishment. Whether or not these reminders are being repeated today remains to be answered. At least such reminders should be repeated in all courses attended by military personnel.

Back in the 1970s, at the height of the Second Emergency, soldiers got killed after wives talked eagerly in public about the husbands going for operations against communist terrorists. Mind you, wives and children are the only people in any military establishment that are never vetted by security agencies.

One such wife was even employed as a typist at one military establishment. For years she mailed the carbon papers of each important military correspondence to the intelligence service of a neighbouring country before she was arrested.

In the late 1980s, 10 officers and men of the Armed Forces were nabbed by military intelligence after they were found to have sold strategic defence files to the intelligence agencies of a neighbouring country. The highest amount paid for a file was USD96,000 for a document on contingency defence plans of a particular state. The rest were defence plans of an Air Force Base, a naval base, and the layout of a military hospital.

In the Armed Forces too you have channels to complain or air your grouses. Your quarters is leaking, you complain to the Facilities Officer. Your mess food sucks, you complain to the Mess Messing Member, or in the case of the other ranks (rank and file if you must), complain to the Duty Officer who is supposed to eat the food you eat with you. Your senior officer has wronged you, the Armed Forces Act, 1972 allows you to seek redress of wrong. Your indelible ink wears off your finger in less than a day, you complain to the Officer Commanding the Administration Branch. Better still, if it is on the same day of voting, you complain to the Elections Commission officers at your place of voting.

There is a reason that you are an Armed Forces member and not a civilian. It means that you are not a civilian. You come from a highly disciplined institution that lives by its codes of rules, regulations, standing orders and orders. You cannot whine like an old lady in public, more so when you are in uniform.

Former Major Zaidi bin Ahmad was a good officer, until the day he appeared in the photo above. He was my junior by two intakes. He was a good pilot. He flew the F-5E Tiger II before progressing to a F-18 Hornet driver, after which he was picked to lead No.12 Squadron (F-5E Tiger II) as its Commanding Officer. He was a quiet man, well-mannered, and according to those who know him, it was no secret that he is a staunch supporter of PAS.

There is nothing about being a military man and have a liking for whichever political party. When I was a serving officer, I told my men that they were free to vote for anyone they wished, but as a member of His Majesty’s Air Force, they should remain apolitical in their conduct.

Granted that Zaidi might have had good intention by talking about his experience with the indelible ink, he went against the Armed Forces Council’s Order No. 13 of 1960. What more, he was wearing his uniform. As a member of the Armed Forces, you are not to talk to the media unless you have prior clearance from the Public Relations Office at both the Air Force HQ and the Ministry of Defence. You might be subjected to unguided and mischievous questions and you might answer wrongly. You might give away more than you should, as the information you are privy to may cause harm to the defence of the nation if leaked whether intentionally or unintentionally.

After the episode above, he was under investigation I presume, and an orders signal was issued for him to be transferred to a lesser sensitive post pending investigation. Each signal (in the civilian world before the advent of the E-Mail is much like the telegram) is either an unclassified document (Pendarjahan TERBUKA), or RESTRICTED and above (Pendarjahan TERHAD ke atas). I would expect the signal pertaining to his transfer was classified as PERSONNEL-IN-CONFIDENCE (SULIT DARIHAL ANGGOTA).

A transfer is normal when one is under investigation. Policemen under investigation are always transferred to “desk” duties. The same applied to Zaidi. Instead, perhaps for political reasons, he decided to show the signal to journalists who do not have the necessary security clearance to be privy to the information on the signal.

One might argue that a transfer order is hardly detrimental to the security of the nation. Well, in this case, maybe it wasn’t. It is not so much the content that is in question but the act of showing any document to those unauthorised to view it. Imagine if his grouses are bigger, I cannot imagine what a Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron, charged with taking care of the nation’s defence, could and would reveal to unauthorised people. That act, to me, shows how this senior officer’s conduct was very unbecoming, and is not trustworthy to be looking after the nation’s defence. To add insult to injury, Zaidi even sent out an SMS in the form of a political incitement; definitely unbecoming of a senior officer of the Armed Forces.

Was the punishment of being discharged from His Majesty’s service received by Zaidi harsh? My answer is a definite no. Firstly, Zaidi was a senior officer and a Commanding Officer. He was not some less-educated Private or Airman. He was charged under Section 50 (2) and Section 51 of the Armed Forces Act, 1972, for disobedience to superior officer and disobedience to standing orders.

If I may read to you the punishments prescribed by these sections. They read:

Every person subject to service law under this Act who, whether wilfully or through neglect, disobeys ny lawful command of his superior officer/standing orders shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to imprisonment or any less punishment provided by this Act.

The scale of punishments for an Officer of the Armed Forces prescribed by the Armed Forces Act, 1972, can be found in Section 89 (2) of the Act. They are:

Death,

Imprisonment to a term not exceeding 14 years,

Dismissal with disgrace from His Majesty’s service,

Dismissal from His Majesty’s service,

Forfeiture of seniority of rank,

Dismissal of an officer from the ship he belongs to,

Fine,

Severe reprimand,

Reprimand,

In the occasion of expense, damage, or loss, stoppages.

In the case of Zaidi’s, the gravity of his offences and his rank and position make only the first four punishments applicable to him. However, since the death punishment is out of the question, the members of the Court-Martial chose the least: dismissal from His Majesty’s service, meaning that he is still entitled to his benefits.

Is that harsh? Not at all. There have been officers dismissed for lesser offences. Examplary? Yes. And very necessary.

Zaidi no doubt was a good guy. However, his political beliefs led him to do what every officer and man of His Majesty’s Armed Forces should not do: disobey orders and putting the uniform you wear to shame. A King’s Officer does not whine about his grouses in public like a yeast-infected aunt. He should live the organised life of his organisation instead of abusing his uniform for his own benefit. There were channels he could have gone through but no. He thought he knew best and in doing so he did injustice to his family.

He is now a political celebrity, a nicer way to call a donkey in politics. He will now be part of a circus act and may earn a bit from the collection made from the spectators of the nightly circus shows he will be performing in, all in the misguided name of justice. Once the next general elections is over, we hope he would have found a steady job by then.

March 30, 2013March 30, 2013

ESSCOM ERROR

When the government announced the formation of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), I said to myself, “About bloody time!”. I imagined security sectors formed from Kudat to Sandakan to Lahad Datu to Semporna and Tawau, mirroring what we used to have along the Malaysian-Thai border during the Communist insurgency such as Kota Alfa, Kota Bravo, Kota Charlie and Kota Delta spanning Kuala Perlis to Tumpat. The initial aim was to combat the communist guerrillas and stopping their infiltration from Southern Thailand. After the treaty in December 1989, we had elements of the Unit Pencegahan Penyeludupan (UPP) or the Anti-Smuggling Unit operating in these areas in a supporting role, to curb the smuggling of contrabands and also human trafficking.

Instead, I find it rather amusing when the Ketua Setiausaha Negara announced that Datuk Mohammad Mentek has been appointed as the Director of ESSCOM effective April 1st. What is wrong with this appointment? Mohammad Mentek is the Director of Immigration for the state of Sabah, the agency that, in my opinion, has failed badly in curbing the in-flow of illegal Filipino and Indonesian immigrants into that state.

The New Straits Times ran a story on Mohammad Mentek’s appointment and a statement by the KSN that was complemented by Mohammad’s curriculum vitae; citing even that Mohammad would be very experienced in the field of security and public order.

This April 1st appointment has to be an April’s Fool joke with an extremely bad taste. Surely the KSN should know the functions of the Immigration Department like the back of his hand. If I may provide a memory-jogger for all, the. immigration Department’s functions are:

1. Issuing of passports and travel documents to Malaysian Citizens and Permanent Residents.

2. Issuing of visas, passes and permits to Foreign Nationals entering Malaysia.

3. Administering and managing the movement of people at authorised entry and exit points.

4. Enforcing the Immigration Act 1959/63, Immigration Regulations 1963 and Passport Act 1966.

If you think I made the above up, read it here. How much of an expert do you think the Sabah Director of Immigration would be in the field of counter-insurgency warfare, joint-command operations and public order? Other than the pen being mightier than the sword, I doubt if the person’s handled anything more than the butter knife, let alone deploy battalions of soldiers and policemen in combat situations.

This is another example of the government missing out on a good opportunity to make things better. Obviously, the main concern when we talk about Sabah right now is its defence from foreign elements. With the heavy presence of our security forces there, we can only see illegal immigrants returning to their homeland, and not the other way round. Therefore, the government should have had a clear aim (again, quoting from the Principles of WAR) in ensuring its strategies in making Sabah more secure conform to this aim. A concept called Defence-in-Depth should have been adopted instead where the Army and Police’s General Operations Force occupy the peripheral islands off Sabah, as being done in Ops PASIR, supported by the Navy, Marine Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. These are the front-liners that will be meeting armed militants head-on. Onshore, defence and security should be effected by the Army and Police. The Immigration Department will just stick to its supporting role, weeding out illegal immigrants.

Therefore, in my opinion, the ESSCOM should be jointly-directed by the Deputy Commander of the Army’s 1st Division, one of the deputies of the Commissioner of Police, Sabah, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s Head of Regional Enforcement for Sabah and Labuan. The reason is because they are in-charge of the combat and combat-capable units operating in this region, not the Immigration.

In conclusion, the choice of the Director of Immigration for Sabah as the Director for ESSCOM is a grave mistake. I respect the person for who he is, but if the government wants to be seen serious in protecting the Malaysians in the state of Sabah, leave the job to the professionals. Not someone who holds a Master of Science (Statistics) degree and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) degree from the University of Minnesota, United States.

March 17, 2013March 20, 2014

Crisis Mismanaged

The Prime Minister recently said that lessons of the Sulu intrusion must be identified. That is only half the battle won. It should also be learnt.

When the Sulu militants began landing at Kampung Tanduo in the Lahad Datu district of Sabah, both the military intelligence and police’s Special Branch knew exactly their numbers, type of weapons, how many more they were expecting, whose house they rendezvoused at and their intention of coming to Sabah. Within hours, elements of the General Operations Force plus the army’s 5th Brigade were deployed to effect a cordon around the area, with combat elements from the Navy, Marine Police and the Maritime Enforcement Agency taking stations offshore. More military conventional and non-conventional forces plus naval assets were already enroute in the ensuing initial hours. Within the first 24-hours, I am in the opinion that we had an overwhelming force to combat the militants. As a former serving officer of His Majesty’s Armed Forces of managerial level, I would have quickly acted in accordance to the Principles of War and the Principles of Crisis Management.

The first Principle of War is the Selection of Aim and its Maintenance. This is the Master Principle that must be established at the commencement of hostilities and followed through and through, and everything else should fall in place. However, we see the pussy-footing of this issue in Putrajaya, in particular the Ministry of Home Affairs, in making decisions. What we saw instead was the downplaying of the seriousness of the matter by the Minister himself. How can we forget his “old men with rusty rifles” response to his appreciation of the enemy’s physical condition, forgetting the fact that these men had been involved in insurgency warfare against their own government, beheading priests and nuns and fellow Muslims, burning churches etc for the past half a century.

This was the same reaction from Admiral Sir Tom Phillips while sailing on board one of the Royal Navy’s most-modern battleships, the HMS Prince of Wales, off the east coast of Malaya. “The Japs can’t see us very well because they have slant eyes,” was his remark when Japanese bombers approached his ships.

In short, never underestimate your enemy, and never take your eyes off them. Margaret Thatcher followed this principle upon being informed of the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland islands. Within the first 48 hours, she mustered the largest modern British armada to repel the invasion.

This is because the seventh Principle of Management is You Have 48-Hours. The first 48-hours is the crunch time. If you are not ahead of the crisis within this time, you will be run over by the crisis. What we saw was more negotiations being done by the police as instructed by their superiors. We see that the enemy have already established their aim in accordance with the first Principle of War, yet we were not acting in response to that aim. While the Minister of Home Affairs was seen making ad hoc comments in between plating trees on the issue, still downplaying the crisis, the Minister of Defence was not yet roped into the whole thing to assist in resolving the crisis. This is against the Ninth Principle of War which is Cooperation – to incorporate teamwork, sharing burden of dangers, risks, and opportunities. This gave time for the enemy to maintain their aim of coming to Sabah, and they dug in, with no intention of leaving.

There was no communication between the authorities and members of the public, a clear failure in crisis communication. Rules five of the Principles of Crisis Management clearly states that there are three key messages to be delivered within the first 48 hours of the crisis, and they are:

We have a plan to deal with….and this has to go hand-in-hand with the first Principle of War,

We regret to inconvenience…show compassion to the people affected by the crisis so that hey will understand their need to be inconvenienced, and,

We have begun investigations into this matter to ensure this does not occur in the future…you need to re-assure the public that you are on top of this.

You need to back this up with action, but after the first skirmish that saw the demise of the first two policemen from the VAT69, there was no follow up. This was not in accordance with the third principle of war which is Offensive Action. This is the practical way to seek to gain advantage, to sustain the momentum and seize the advantage. This never happened. We lost the fifth principle of war: Surprise.

Instead, there was absolute silence, and misleading statements issued such as the attack on the police party at Kampung Simunul near Semporna that caused a huge loss of life. Gunfire could be heard from nearby islands, and in this age of digital wireless communications, word spreads faster than before the last shot was fired that night. Instead, the official communiqué said it was a drug raid and was not related to the events in Kampung Tanduo. Mind you, although Kampung Tanduo is in the district of Lahad Datu it is much closer to the district of Semporna, gateway to the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, home to the tourist-packed islands of Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking and Sipadan. When this event finally hits the fan, and villagers took it upon themselves to dispatch of one of the militants themselves, did the authorities finally admitted what had happen.

Such silence only fuelled rumours, as stated in the sixth principle of Crisis Management: Beware of the Court of Public Opinion. The Opposition rumour-mill was quick with this, and the government was slow to react, relying on the service of contracted and non-contracted bloggers to do the public relations, while the Ministry of Communications was also slow in its response and did nothing to explain to the masses about the cession agreement so on and so forth, just a response made in passing by the Minister during an ad hoc interview. I often wonder if it was done in such a manner for self-promotion or that Radio Televisyen Malaysia, as an arm of the Ministry of Communications, did not have the time nor resources to come up with fillers to educate the general public on the crux of the issue in Lahad Datu.

In the end, the public wanted action. And finally, the Minister of Defence was roped in. He went back to KL to brief the Prime Minister on what needs to be done. Subsequently, the Prime Minister ordered the police and military to work together and do the necessary to end this. Only now we see a more structured concentration of force and economy of effort by the joint-military-police action against the militants. And finally, press conferences are handled by senior police and military officers who give hard, no-nonsense facts, rather than by politicians who are more familiar with sugar-coating facts.

And as the tenth principle of Crisis Management states: Every Crisis Is An Opportunity. Smart leaders would know that in the midst of a crisis, there is an opportunity to be seized. The government has announced an increase in the defence budget to support the formation of the East Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM). However, the decision to place this command under the Chief Minister of Sabah instead of the National Security Council could be erroneous.

Trust me, there will be more trouble. If there is a lesson to be learnt from all this, it is to leave defence and security matters in the hands of the professionals. Not politicians.