KUCHING: The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) continues to strive in strengthening relations with the Sarawak government through closer and comprehensive cooperation, specifically in the context of defence and security.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the focus of MINDEF and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has never faded and continues to implement the best plans to improve the level of MAF’s defence throughout the state.
According to Hishammuddin, one of MAF’s latest plans is to increase the presence of its personnel and assets from all three service branches, especially in Bintulu.
“This planning is to enable MAF to improve air defence capabilities and maritime as well as ensuring the country’s strategic installations in Sarawak waters remain protected from any threat,” he said in a media statement yesterday.
“As I informed yesterday (Friday), in order to ensure that efforts to preserve the sovereignty of the waters in Sarawak can be implemented more holistically, the Eastern Sea Region Headquarters (MAWILLA) 4 is planned to be built in phases through the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and 13th Malaysia Plan,” he said via the statement.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin added that for the strengthening of defence on the border, the arrangement to move personnel and assets of the Malaysian Army (TDM) especially the Border Regiment (RS) is sufficient and ready to be improved from time to time which involves the presence and readiness on the Sarawak-Kalimantan and Sarawak-Brunei borders including adding 12 new MAF’s Balanced Posts (Pos Imbangan).
“Border security is indeed the main focus of MAF, especially TDM, considering the Indonesian government’s plan to move its capital to Kalimantan in the future.
“This matter will also be discussed in detail with my counterpart, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto while co-chairing the 42nd Meeting of the Malaysia-Indonesia General Border Committee (GBC MALINDO) in Kuala Lumpur next week,” he explained.
According to Hishammuddin again, at the moment the National Defence and Security Industry Policy (DIPKN) is in the final stage of drafting and one of the policy’s focuses is to create defence industry hubs in locations that have been identified throughout the country via collaboration with the Sarawak government.
“The Sarawak government has shown interest and voiced its willingness to participate and cooperate with MINDEF to make this defence industry-related plan in Sarawak a success.
“MINDEF will send a team to Sarawak in the near future for further discussion,” he added.
Earlier, Hishammuddin paid a courtesy visit to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to discuss security issues in Sarawak
Also present during the courtesy visit were MINDEF secretary-general, Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz; Chief of Defence Forces General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Affendi Buang; Army Chief General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zamrose Mohd Zain and Eastern Field commander Lieutenant General Datuk Mardzuki Muhammad.
