Comments on: VAB on the Way

By: Aegis8181

Aegis8181 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:49:49 +0000

By the way, is’t true that we have 36 Astros launchers? I thought it was 18 only…

Marhalim: We have 36 Astros MLRS once the second batch ordered, within the last three years or four, are delivered.

By: kamal

kamal — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:29:52 +0000

Just wondering, is Sibmass is as bad of a shape compared to Condor? I assume it may not be as extensively used as condor. Now we got PT91M, we dont really need all 184 90mm sibmas as FSV. May be in the interim, assuming condition is still good, about a dozen of Sibmass could be refurbished and sent to Lebanon while waiting for the new APC….

Marhalim: Only 162 of the Sibmas were fitted with the 90mm gun the rest were bought as wreckers. The Sibmas fleet should be in a better condition than the Condor as they, I believed, were never sent out overseas. However, it must be said there have been anecdotal reports that said the Sibmas underperformed in the field as it is underpowered.
The recoil from the 90mm gun, I am told, is horrendous for those inside. Moreover I do not want to be in the Sibmas in combat, its rounds are stored in thin holders just below the turret basket! I dont think the armour can stand a hit from 7,62mm AP rounds………

had even worse reputation than the Condors as it was equipped with an

By: Aegis8181

Aegis8181 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:48:22 +0000

Anyone ever heard of the Swedish SEP multi role armoured vehicle? Its unique because i believed that it is the world’s first trully modular armoured vehicle thanks to the fact that the systems existed in two versions – wheeled (8×8/6×6)and also tracked! for many multi purpose applications…the revolutionary also involved the propulsion system, the more efficient and quite (stealth element)electric system.

Marhalim: Yes but it will take sometime for it to be fielded if the the Swedish Armed Forces decides to adopt it. We do not have the luxury of time

By: MeesterT

MeesterT — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:18:15 +0000

No open tender? Apa jadi itu transparency and accountability? Ooop…itu PR punya slogan. Rakyat diutamakan…..or rather Duit Rakyat diutamakan.

Marhalim: For this one its supposed to be a direct nego. Since the guys in Lebanon really need these new APC ASAP, in this instance I support the direct nego mode although I still disagree if they used the normal government procurement policies for the purchase…

By: Marhalim

Marhalim — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:43:49 +0000

From Bernama

Government Plans To Replace Ageing Condor And Sibmas Apc – Zahid

SEREMBAN, Oct 4 (Bernama) — The government plans to purchase new armoured personnel carriers (APC) as replacement for the ageing Condor and Sibmas being deployed in Lebanon.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it had yet to decide on APC with 6×6 or 8×8 wheel drive.

“The APC that we have are of the 6×6 wheel drive type. No open tenders will be called as it is involve defence equipments,” he said when met after the Ex-Servicemen’s Association annual delegates conference here Saturday.

The Opposition claimed that the government was putting the soldiers lives at risk by deploying the 30 year-old Condor and Sibmas APC in Lebanon .

By: azlan

azlan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:26:36 +0000

Sorry I meant Suharto. The enemies that ran to Malaysia were mostly Acehnese dissidents. In the 90′s, following government crackdowns, a number of Islamic extremists also ended up here. Another reason for the stability was ABRI’s iron grip on political power and its vast commercial interests. Even until now, it is normal for senior commanders to hand out cash, earned from various TNI businesses, to subordinates to cover operating expenses.

Like Malaysia, political bailouts and corruption during Suharto’s rule was rife and part of the system of patronage, albeit on a much larger scale.

Marhalim: There are others of course, but I do not want to run into trouble with…….

By: azlan

azlan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:20:07 +0000

Todays papers has an article about another Indonesian claim, the gamelan. The Indonesians, especially the Javanese,conveniently forget that a lot of their culture is Indian. Part of the reason there’s some much resentment toward Malaysian is because of the prevailing socio/economic conditions in Indonesia. Up until the mid-80s, Indonesia was the senior partner in ASEAN, with the most influence. Today, things are different. Like Russia during the communist era, Indonesia under Sukarno was a more confident and stable country.

Marhalim: Sukarno or Suharto? BTW most of Suharto’s enemies end up in Malaysia during his reign. Perhaps that the reason they were mostly peaceful during that time…..

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:34:03 +0000

There is a difference between matured entities like Singapore, Malaysia and Australia versus countries like Indonesia. On one hand, these countries have intermittent squabbles but are largely rationale and they are able to exercise restraint well. War is unlikely.

On the other hand, countries like Indonesia might have problems controlling the actions of thier military arm(or some) and to a larger degree, thier own people. I reckon control is an issue. And awareness is another. It might just be a case of being a little too late to stop an unintended incident from occuring.

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:25:57 +0000

Marhalim, it`s not your fault and I apologise if I have conveyed the latter impression. It is always interesting to read different viewpoints. There are a myriad of different views around plus ones which are not exactly accurate. It is an eye opener when glaring mistakes and assumptions are made. It would be more shocking if those assumptions are translated into policy.

By: azlan

azlan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:29:31 +0000

The document is riddled with errors and should have been proofread before publication. Nonetheless, it does make insightful reading. In discussions with retired army officers, I learnt some time back that local military planners have always been more concerned with a low intensity threat from Indonesia due to a number of historical,economical factors, etc, rather than Singapore. Part of the rationale behind the PERISTA programme was the concern over a possible Vietnamese overland threat in the late 70′s and the later declaration of this country’s EEZ. A few weeks ago, during the Balinese dance row, the NST ran a very interesting article by the former UM chancellor about Malaysia’s relations with Indonesia and Singapore.