Malaysia's New National Defense Policy

Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmed Zahid Hamidi said that the Ministry of Defense would review the newly launched National Defense Policy in 2012. He said that the Defense Ministry would follow through the existing national defense policies and review them progressively in order to attain defense policy objectives that have been formulated.

National Defense Policy Covers Four Main Tasks
He said that currently the National Defense Policy covers four main tasks:

First: To educate citizens "all-citizen national defense" concept that combines the power of the government, NGOs, private sector, and people in a total effort to defense the country.

Second: To enhance and develop the capacity of the Armed Forces, while making effort to increase citizens' awareness of this national defense concept and a sense of patriotism.

Third: To cooperate with regional countries and to establish closer military diplomacy with them. Malaysia must consolidate bilateral defense cooperation with countries, which have already established strategic partnership ties with Malaysia.

Fourth: To set up a defense policy committee to oversee the task of defense policy formulation progress and to review the current National Defense Policy in 2012.

In delivering his address at the official launch of the National Defense Policy held on 9 November, Minister Ahmed Zahid stressed on the importance for the nation to develop a defense awareness mindset. He said that even if Malaysia processed top-notch weaponries, if Malaysia failed to develop a defense prevention awareness mind-set all the best weapon equipment would be of no use to the defense ministry.

He added: "I have visited a Middle East country in 1987. This Middle East country processed the most advanced military aircrafts. However, when internal war occurred in that country, the bed room of the national leader of this country was invaded by the rival army. It was only four hours after the attack on the national leader's residence that its most advanced fighter aircraft took off to defense the country."

Malaysia To Enhance Power of Modern Warfare
In addition to Defense Minister Ahmed Zahid, other officials who attended the launch of the National Defense Policy included Datuk Ismail Ahmed, secretary general of the Ministry of Defense, and General Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin, chief of the Armed Forces Staff.

Ahmed Zahid said that the main task of National Defense Policy must definitely be on achieving the goal to promote the modernization of the Armed Forces and to improve armed forces' combat capability. This was because the challenges of today's armed forces did not come from the traditional battlefield. On the contrary, the challenge of today's armed forces came from non-traditional emergency incidents such as on how to tackle and fight against the Somali pirates or how to carry out rescue missions to overcome natural disasters, and so on.

Minister Ahmed Zahid also pointed out the fact that Malaysia was located at the center of Southeast Asia. Malaysia's security would easily be affected by troubles or unrest that happened within this Southeast Asian region. As such every year, the Ministry of Defense would allocate $10million to establish a world food distribution and planning hub at the Subang Air Force Base, so that Malaysia could assume the responsibility as a regional disaster emergency relief center to distribute foods and goods to disaster victims.

China-Taiwan Issue To Be Resolved Peacefully

The newly released National Defense Policy points out that as long as the Taiwan Strait issue cannot be resolved completely, cross-straits tension can affect the stability of the Southeast Asian region. Malaysia hopes that mainland China and the Taiwan authorities can continue to make effort in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict between them.

The National Defense Policy also states that no country in the 21st century can be immune from external conflict. The Policy says that in addition to issues relating to traditional national defense, countries also have to face the unlimited and borderless violence and crime.

US Remains Strongest Country in Asia Pacific Region
The National Defense Policy also states that to Malaysia, although China, Japan and the United States are the three major actors in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States remains the strongest country that can exert influence in the Southeast Asian region. As such, the bilateral defense cooperation ties between Malaysia and the United States is a measure that can protect Malaysia's security and economic growth.

The National Defense Policy says that through engaging intimate cooperation relations with Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, and Singapore, the United States has indirectly enhanced the defense capability of countries surrounding the Southeast Asian region.
As far as China is concerned, the National Defense Policy says that, although holds the view that China does not consider ASEAN as a threat, however, China is also unwilling to see unstable situation developing in countries in the ASEAN region.

China is actively emerging as an economically and militarily strong power. China can play a balancing role in this region. This country (China) and Japan have very different defense operation mode. Malaysia must pay attention to the role that the economically strong Japan can play to stabilize the Southeast Asian region.

So far as Russia is concerned, although there are still many internal problems awaiting Russia to resolve, the National Defense Policy believes that Russia is now actively developing and increasingly its active role in the international community. The National Defense Policy believes that Russia is also one of the key nations that can affect the stability in the Southeast Asian region.

Resolving Nansha Islands Sovereignty Dispute Through Friendly Consultation
The new Malaysian National Defense Policy also points out that as it stands now; the sovereignty dispute among some countries over the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands) is still unresolved. In the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, Malacca Strait, and in other international waterway, Malaysia still has territorial disputes with neighboring countries. Among them the sovereignty disputes over the Nansha islands have involved Brunei, China, the Philippines Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Fortunately, in November 2002, China and ASEAN have signed the "Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" that stressed the need for all countries involved in the maritime sovereignty dispute along South China Sea to resolve the pending disputes through friendly consultations and peaceful negotiations.

The National Defense Policy also states that as for territorial controversies in the South China Sea, Sulawesi Sea, Straits of Malacca, Malaysia will resolve any such disputes or conflicts through diplomatic channel. Malaysia will act in accordance with the spirit of ASEAN.

Political Instability To Threaten Racial Harmony
The National Defense Policy further points out that Malaysia's domestic political situation is full of uncertain factors. It says that political instability in the country can pose threat to social issues and to inter-ethnic harmony.

The National Defense Policy feels that, although the government has signed the "Hat Yai Agreement" with the Malaysian Communist Party in 1989, although there is no major and serious security problem in the country, the government authority cannot feel complacent and relax over internal security issues. Malaysia must guard against the widening racial divide in today's political climate.

However, some politicians have continued to play with unbridled incitement to stir up sensitive issues to the degree of causing threat to the general public and affecting racial harmony and peace to the society.

The National Defense Policy points out that coupled with the above mentioned factors, the security situation in Malaysia can even turn worse if some NGOs seize the opportunity to stir up trouble.

Moreover, this newly launched the National Defense Policy also mentions the need for Malaysia to face the huge immigrant population seriously and squarely. This is because regardless whether the immigrants are legal or illegal, they will all exert a certain degree of influence on the Malaysian society.

According to the immigration records, Malaysia has 1.85 million foreign workers. Malaysia has become one of the top 10 countries in the world that depend heavily on foreign work force to grow.

The National Defense Policy points out that having a massive foreign worker community can bring threats, crimes, diseases, and cultural conflicts to the Malaysian society.

US Midterm Elections

Midterm elections have been held in the US for all seats of the House of Representatives, 32 seats of the Senate and offices of the state governors on 2 November 2010. Dozens of candidates who tested their luck following the tall shadow of the election campaign run by President Barack Obama faced humiliation of defeat at the hands of Republicans. In the US House of Representatives having 435 members, the Democrats lost in 240 constituencies. In the elections to the upper house i.e. the US Senate, the Republicans improved their position.

Advantage Republicans
Various tops guns of the Democrats lost in the recent elections. The candidates ruthlessly used wealth for their victory. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who got much fame in the field of acting and later became state governor, lost the office of the governor. Whereas a look as to who contested election from where and on ticket of which party ads to one's knowledge and wisdom, it also widens one's political and social awareness.

Democrat Senator from Florida Michael Bennet celebrated second consecutive victory after defeating Republican Cain Huke. In other tough contests, Republic leader John Reid was defeated by Democrat Joe McCain for a Senate seat from Western Virginia. Marko Rubio gave tough time to Obama's colleague Charlie Crist in Florida and also gifted him defeat. In Kentucky, the Republicans emerged victorious while the Democrats were the runners up as Rand Paul shattered hopes of Jack Convoy of Obama lobby.

Setback for Obama
Obama had to suffer the shock of historic Republic victory on his ancestral seat of Illinois. Obama had got elected as senator from the same seat. The Republicans won on two most important Senate seats of Northern Dakota and Arkansas. John Thune defeated Terry Porter while in Arkansas John Bosman delighted Bush Junior by emerging victorious.

In Missouri, former head of Armed Services Committee Scouts was badly defeated on the ticket of Democrats as Wiki Mart of Republican knocked him out. In the House of Representatives, the strength of Republican has increased. If the Obama ministers failed to show interest in the ending military inventions in other countries during the rest of the presidential tenure for the sake of poverty, unemployment and colonialist desires in light of the public feelings and aspirations, their hopes of winning the next presidential will fade forever.

Human Massacre and Barbarism
Muslims are to be reminded here that the Publican party is a frightening group of conservatives and jingoists who achieve such successes in human massacre and barbarism under the patronization of former President Bush following the 9/11 that the human spirit sheds tears of blood. The victory of the Republican is a food for thought for the Muslim community. There were many smugglers and businessmen from oil industry in the Bush cabinet who have been busy in promotion of the Zionism and paving the way for Greater Israel.

The Zionist lobbies of Bush era wrote the script of the tragic drama of 9/11 to plunder the natural resources and energy deposits of the Middle East and the US forces imposed on Kabul and Baghdad the terrifying war on the earth and occupied the two countries after thrusting the responsibility of the destruction of the Twin Towers on Al-Qaeda, Muslim fighters, jihadist organizations and Saddam Hussein. The US and allies spilled the blood of two million Muslims in Iraq and Kabul and this barbarism is still continuing. The wise intellectuals bragged that the victory of the Republican cannot affect Pakistan. Those expressing such opinions are devoid of wisdom because they are unaware of this threat that voices of selecting Pakistan for the next round of war are constantly appearing in the Western media. Under the banner of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), 120,000 are busy in battles in Afghanistan. ISAF consists of the military power of the 50 advanced countries of the world.

Impact of Afghan War
The Afghan war is the longest and the most dangerous war of the history of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Taliban have stunned the occupation forces. The US has started dialogue with the rivals with key role of Pakistan to avert the ugly stain of defeat. Reports are appearing in the Western media that if the terrorism could not be confined to South Asia, Afghanistan and borders of FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas], the West would be crying because of its threat. Instead of Kabul, the global players have focused their sights on the border region of Pakistan. The Japan Times has reported that the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and Mosad have planned bomb explosions, terrorism and suicide attacks in several areas of Europe for which Pakistan will be accused and then a war will start in Pakistan on the pattern of Afghanistan.

The US think tanks and military analysts say that achievement of the Western interests in the Afghan war is not possible until the military power of Pakistan is not overcome. The Pentagon has given target to the US agencies to swiftly use the effective prescription of propaganda and to stuff the minds of the people of West that Pakistan is a threat for the West. The Western newspapers, TheWall Street Journal, Sky News and BBC are crying that drill for Mumbai-type attacks in Europe is going on in Pakistan. Renowned intellectual Van Madson says he has found secret documents in Washington containing details about destruction of Pakistani nuclear arms by Mosad in 1982.

India-China Cooperation

The twists and turns in China-India relationship show no signs of disappearing in the near future. It is, however, equally necessary not to let these complications exceed a certain limit. Some progress might be made in this direction with the meeting between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on 29 October.

Dr Singh and Jiabao have met 10 times in the last six years, as the Chinese leader observed when the two met. That is a high metric even for top leaders of neighboring countries. On each occasion there has been a degree of feel-good, considering that relations between Asia’s two biggest countries and fastest rising economies -- which also leave a mark on the world stage -- are not wrinkle-free. And yet, it is apparent to all that the frequency of contact hasn’t lent itself to the two countries moving to a stage of easy give-and-take in ties.

Common Interests
The Chinese prime minister will visit India in December. In order to make this visit a success, it is important to reduce the misgivings of the two countries. India and China are neighbors. Both are members of alliances like BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China). They have common interests in matters like environment and world trade. They also work together in these fields. At the same time, it is also true that the two countries compete in economic and several foreign affairs, especially in spreading their influence in areas like East Asia and Africa. The old border dispute between India and China is yet to be solved. This often creates bitterness.

Dr Singh went ahead and raised all the troubling questions in the bilateral relationship that have surfaced of late -- China’s adopting a forward position in respect of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), its questioning of India’s sovereignty in Kashmir suggested by stapling -- not stamping, which is the international norm -- of visas for Jammu and Kashmir residents, Beijing’s offer of a stapled visa for a general who commands India’s Northern Army, (which had the effect of scuttling the military officer’s visit to China on a goodwill defense visit earlier this year), and the revival by Beijing of its claims over Arunachal Pradesh (after the Indian state had been officially shown as being part of India during the term of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee).

Exploring Possibilities
India intends to explore these possibilities as much as it can. Such joint efforts will help all countries to overcome poverty and backwardness quickly. Distrust and suspicion between India and China obstruct any progress in this direction. Even the dispute between India and Pakistan has been kept alive to a large extent on China's support.

China certainly completes with India in the economic field, but it also has problems with Indian democracy. Modern China has had a dictatorial form of government for more than 60 years. Having adopted a liberal economy, it is now going through difficulties of introducing a liberal political system. Prime Minister Jiabao had to face severe criticism from conservative forces for advocating such a system.

Lack of Equilibrium
Chinese are afraid that a close friendship with a big democratic country like India might create an urge for democracy in the country. Suppressed dissatisfaction and lack of equilibrium might come out in the open.

The other problem faced by China is that democratic Western countries and Japan pin hopes on India rather than on China's monopolistic economic strength. India is trying not to let these issues come in the way of mutual relationship, but China has its own reasons for being apprehensive.