RM540 Million For 6X6? Updated

Gempita AFV30 ATGW. Malaysian Defence

SHAH ALAM: RM540 million for 6X6. Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu in an interview with the New Straits Times newspaper said that a sum of RM540 million is to be allocated to complement the 257 Deftech 8X8 Gempita in service with the Army. The article however did not indicate what the funds are to be allocated for however.

You can read the article itself here. Posted below is a screenshot of the relevant line.

The NST article, note the paragraph on the RM540 million,

While the article bothered to list out the full name of the Gempita, it appears that the RM540 million allocation was not important enough to warrant further explaination.

Gempita AFV30 variant of 1 Kor Armor Di Raja seen at the Kuantan airbase at the PAT first order on Jan 24, 2017.

It appears that my original assumption that the RM540 million was an allocation for the new KJA is completely wrong. I was informed that the Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong had explained the allocation in Parliament on Dec. 6 even though it was not concise enough.

Untuk menjawab soalan Yang Berhormat Senator Laksamana Pertama, jumlah peruntukan kewangan Kementerian Pertahanan untuk projek-projek tersebut adalah seperti berikut:
(i) kenderaan perisai 8×8 ialah sejumlah RM540 juta;
(ii) Helikopter MD-530G sejumlah RM40 juta bagi tahun 2020. Perolehan aset ini akan dipertimbangkan secara teliti dan akan diputuskan oleh Jemaah Menteri dalam masa yang terdekat; dan
(iii) littoral combat ship (LCS). Rancangan peruntukan perbelanjaan bagi tahun 2020 adalah berjumlah RM350 juta. Namun ia tertakluk kepada prestasi kemajuan projek berkenaan dan juga tertakluk kepada keputusan kementerian dan juga keputusan Jemaah Menteri.

LCS PCU. Maharaja Lela. Her name could be seen on the stern. Picture taken on Aug. 25. 2017.

Based on the above the RM540 allocation is likely the progress payment for Deftech for the Gempita though it was not stated for year. It is likely that the minister himself was referring to the same notes but failed to include what it was all about. As for RM350 million allocated for in 2020 for the LCS, it is also likely the progress payment for Boustead Naval Shipyard though it is subject to the progress of the project and approval from the Cabinet.

The MD530G fitted with the FN Herstal rocket machine gun pod and a Gatling. This is a likely weapon configuration for the LSH.

The deputy defence minister answer in Parliament also included the RM40 million payment for the MD530G light attack scout helicopter for next year though a final decision on whether or not to proceed with the project is also subject to a decision by the Cabinet. I have no idea whether the above was explained by Mohamad Sabu during his interview with the New Straits Times or it was excluded for brevity. Remind me not to get excited by anything published by NST in the future. And before I forget, Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating.

* Completely rewrittten to show the answers on the allocation in Parliament. I apologised for my mistake. That said I had written that I stand to be corrected and indeed I had!

–Malaysian Defence

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22 Comments

  1. RM2.7 million per vehicle?

    That is just about USD640k for each vehicle, if it is to be for 200 vehicles. FYI that is not enough even to buy DEFTECH Lipanbara, which costs RM7 million (USD1.6 million) each.

    IMO lets just go for the JLTV.

    But I would love to see if anyone here can give an alternative plan, so the army can really get their 6x6s…

    Reply
    Or they could reduce the numbers to 100 and suddenly it becomes more viable. With another batch in next RMK

  2. Encik Marhalim,mengapakah program KJA 6×6 ini adalah untuk menggantikan Condor dan bukan Sibmas? Bukankah Sibmas lebih utama perlu digantikan daripada Condor memandangkan Condor masih banyak kuantitinya dan masih relevan untuk di-upgrade/refurbish. Dan adakah Sibmas ini masih banyak digunakan lagi atau sudah digantikan dengan AV-8 Gempita?

    Reply
    AFAIK most of the Sibmas have been retired apart from the recovery ones that are operated by Malbatt in Lebanon and the armour school in Port Dickson

  3. Berkemungkinan harga Rm540 million tu adalah untuk first batch 6×6 dalam 100 buah, selebihnya 100+ buah mungkin akan dibeli dalam batch seterusnya.

  4. What do you think this is for “RM350 million for littoral combat ships”, progress work payment maybe?
    From the enormous operating cost onward, thing get confusing again…

    Reply
    I have no idea what the number is for, so I ignore it. The first tranche of RM1.4 billion needed for LCS is my best guess

  5. @ A

    Sibmas di dalam pegangan kor armor diraja telah digantikan dengan Gempita AV8 versi AFV30 (meriam 30mm denel) dan LCT30 (meriam 30mm denel berserta peluru berpandu anti kereta kebal ingwe)

  6. @ marhalim

    In all, a very rubbish reporting by NST. Still with their “famous” McDonnell Douglas company line. Facepalm.

  7. Until additional and concrete info is provided on the actual budget allocated for the programme and number of vehicles specified; we can only speculate.

    Kamal,

    Very much doubt that a Chinese design will be selected although a local company did sign an agreement many years ago with NORINCO to market AFVs here.

  8. Agreed with general opinion here. NST reporting is going from bad to worse recently insofar as defence is concerned. Rubbish reporting not befitting a mainstream English daily. Perhaps the serious guys reading defence news outside should read and reread this blog more.

  9. What is clear is the confusion at the highest level. Oh dear the PR office of Mindef….you could really support your boss with good pictorial notes

  10. @Marhalim
    RMK projects are 5 years plan. Likely the outlays are the progressive payments for AV8 & Gowinds bought during the current RMK.

    @Taib
    NST reporting since 2018 have been rubbish in general. Their reporters tend to jump the gun and their editors and factcheckers are nowhere to be seen.

  11. @Zaidi
    “you could really support your boss with good pictorial notes”
    Or you know, he could take the effort to understand what he is talking about. Unless you’re implying he needs everything dumbed down to pictorial images and simple to understand words….

  12. @ joe

    You have actually taken the effort to understand what we here are talking about. Vast inprovement compared to when you first posted in mid 2018 (ironically one of your first posts are on the topic of mat sabu!). Congrats.

  13. Say what you want about Abang Mat, I think he had achieved something with the DWP. He has put a line in the sand… and to be honest, now everybody knows that defence spending of 1% is the minimum and not excessive. Of course 1% to 1.5% is better. He from the sounds of it, is also aware there are efficiencies that can be made. The issue now is that Malaysia has to be decisive in all matters defence and stop this of dithering around. Makes us look weak and can be pushed around.

  14. What’s the reason for the confusion? It was not mentioned in parliament that the RM540 million was for 6x6s.

    Only the NST report said the money was to “complement” the 8x8s.

    Reply
    the NST report came out after the parliament answers. I got confused and should have checked further.

  15. @ tomtom

    Could you elaborate on what did abg mat achieve actually?

    On the defence spending. The problem is, the spending is already at 1%, so why do you propose something that is already there? Even if he does not propose, it is already at 1%. And that 1% statement is not written in the DWP specifically (nothing about GDP or KNDK in the DWP).

    Basically the DWP is mostly a compilation of things already decided prior, and lots of historical stories. Well it is good to finally have some confirmation in one document of what has been said before, but basically thats about it. IMO only like 10 pages of the 90+ pages of DWP is really information for me.

    @ AM

    Basically the NST article is rubbish and creates more confusion than answers. But i do sympathize with the journalist interviewing mat sabu as probably most of the rubbish details is from his mouth.

  16. Tom Tom – “Say what you want about Abang Mat, I think he had achieved something with the DWP”

    The White Paper isn’t worth the paper it’s written on unless there is the will and intent on the part of the government to actually implement what it contains and unless there is the desire to fundamentally change a system that is highly flawed.

    Yes it’s needed and long overdue but will anything tangible come out of it or Is it merely a PR exercise?
    From the very start I had my doubts and was convinced that the White Paper would be an anti climatic disappointment for many – judging by comments made – who had too high hopes on it ….

  17. @…
    I have not changed my opinion nor my apprehension of this govt in terms of our country\’s defence and my objection to Mat Sabu suitability as Menhan. So the paradigm shift wasn\’t on my end but you guys are now seeing what I have foretold. At the moment, there is nothing tectonic shifting in the country\’s policy and buys so let\’s wait and see how it unfolds.

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