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| Left Jen Zaki, Eastern Command Field Commander |
He said the decision to set up the new division was a direct result of the the Lahad Datu intrusion in early 2013. “The sheer size of Sabah and Sarawak meant that the Army need to re-organise its structure to adept to the emerging security threats in both states,” he said adding that they can set up a division with at least two brigades.
Sabah for the record now only has a single infantry brigade assigned to the state.
The brigade is part of the First Infantry Division based in Kuching. The other two brigades of the division are based in Kuching and Sibu.
Speaking to reporters later, Raja Affandi said as a precursor to the new division in Sabah, the Army was in the midst of setting up a new brigade in the state, an addition to a third brigade set-up specifically for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom). Due to red tape and funding issues, personnel and units bound for both brigades are now assigned to Task Force 450 already based in Sabah.
Asked whether the new set-up will mean that the Army will breached its current force of 80,000, Raja Affandi answer was “If we breach it we breach it.” He did not provide the numbers nor allocation being sought to accommodate the new plan. However, I estimate if the plans are funded within the next five years the Army’s active force strength will top at 100,000 in 2020. The increase of manpower will most probably – in the short term at least – be fulfill by transfering units from peninsula and mobilising reserves.
As for the allocation, I believe it will be an additional RM1 billion for the Operational Expenditure annually.
To meet the expanded role in Sabah in the short term, Raja Affandi said the Army was moving personnel and assets for duties in ESSCom despite the funding gap and bureaucratic red tape. Assets like the Adnan ACVs transported to Lahad Datu for Ops Daulat will be withdrawn soon to be replaced by the MICVs.
The Lahad Datu incursion had also created a lasting mark on the Army as its Field Headquarters – which oversees the service’s operations in peacetime and war – had been split into the Western and Eastern Command. The splitting of the command reflected the difficulty in managing a crisis due to geographical location between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak. Traditionally, the Army Field Commander is the service’s'third most senior soldier and a stepping stone to the chief’s post.
“We feel it will be better in terms of logistics for our forces in Sabah and Sarawak to be under its local field commander, hence the decision to split the command of the Field Headquarters,” according to Raja Affandi.
First Division Commander Lieutenant General Datuk Mohd Zaki Mokhtar has assumed the role of the Eastern Army Field Commander but due to bureaucratic reasons, he remained as the First Division Commander until a new one is appointed.
The First Division – based in Kuching – oversees the three brigades in Sarawak (two) and lone brigade. While the proposed new division will be based in Kota Kinabalu, the Eastern Field Command will remained in Kuching.
Raja Affandi denied that the Army’s plans to boost its manpower and assets in Sabah and Sarawak will be viewed negatively by Malaysia’s neighbours nor its aimed at recent move China.
“I have informed my counterparts of our plans and they understand the reasons behind our decisions,” he added.
On the funding gap, Raja Affandi said he did not have the time to dwell on the issue. Instead, he was focusing on ensuring that the Army readiness level was at the highest as possible. The Army has a long wish-list, one of which is the transformation of the current brigades into a combined arms one.
He also want to make sure that each soldier assigned to the front lines are equipped with the best equipment especially personal protection equipment (PPE).
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