PKR MPs Johari Abdul and Saifuddin Nasution, at the DCNS booth in DSA 2012. The model on the display is the new generation scorpene submarine
The current Defense Services Asia DSA 2012 exhibition and series of forums being held at PWTC is a good platform for military industrialists and practitioners to get together and exchange notes on the current technology and what is to come. This year’s DSA is the largest so far since the first in 1986. The heavy presence of government agencies attending very much proven the Federal Government commitment in the defense of the realm.
Altogether, 826 companies, representatives and agencies of global military industry participated in the four days event. The DSA 2o12 also featured discourses and talks such as the Putrajaya Forum, on top of the usual product and services exhibition and demonstrations.
This is a good opportunity for all interested quarters, which include the Opposition to gather information.
The current Parliament sitting provided opportunity for some PKR MPs to make time and attend the DSA 2012. Seen at the DSA 2012 is PKR Secretary General and MP for Machang Saifuddin Naution Ismail and MP for Sg Petani Johari Abdul.
Amongst the booth they visited is the DCNS, which is the constructor for the Perdana Class scorpene submarines and the originator of the Gowind class frigate. Gowind is currently is platform and closest model for the Boustead Naval Shipyard‘s pitch for the upcoming Royal Malaysian Navy littoral combat ships.
They were seen talking to DCNS representatives. Amongst the queries they made were on the scorpene submarines.
It is good that these MPs come to these exhibitions and enrich themselves with more information. More important, the accurate information and to be taken in the right context. However, one doubts what is the amount of information they could get within a ten minute visit to the booths. Representatives at trade booths such as DSA or LIMA not necessarily the subject matter expert in specific products. Usually, there are specific assigned experts for detailed queries in their head quarters.
For the record, both MPs declined Minister of Defence’s invitation to visit the KD Tun Razak during LIMA last December and see for themselves what the Navy had acquired for the strategic defense system of this nation. Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng, accompanied by both his Deputy Chief Ministers did respond to the invitation and did dive with KD Tun Razak, 30 nautical mile off the coast of Langkawi. Immediately after the dive, Lim is convinced that the submarines are necessary strategic assets for the defense, praised the professionalism of the submariners and the Navy as a whole.
PKR representatives never responded to MINDEF’s invitation, as far earlier as the arrival of KD Tun Razak on July 2010. And yet, with the minimal or limited information they have, they often choose to spin on military acquisition such as the submarines, with a malice political connotation.
This is not the responsible thing to do as politicians. They should learn to be constructive Opposition and help the nation to go forward. Instead, they tend to use information they can their hands on to spin, manipulate and perpetuate lies, in their sordid agenda of ‘politics of hatred’ to get into power.
Tomorrow, pro-Opposition NGO SUARAM is expected to make the presence here in DSA 2012.
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
Dog
You should get your rabbit tooth MP, Tony Pua to visit DSA also.
He talk as though he had done millitary serivce.
Cakap saja banyak, I bet that chicken shit coward will be the first to oppose conscription if introduced.
Tony Pua rabbit tooth MP? I thought
The above words beat the gun – son of a gun. Here goes the continuation:
Tony Pua rabbit tooth MP? I thought more of a cheap tooth paste commercial!
But I agree with the opinion that more politicians attend such exhibitions to be well informed and able to include substance in their speeches.
No doubt, the Opposition politicos go there to look for bullets to shoot the Establishment with.
And the Kua Siong fellow wrote a book condemning Malaysia’s defence purchases some time back I think. Didn’t he launch the sale of the book at a restaurant in Edgware Road, London? Of all places. Strange. But he is no longer an MP and no longer DAP, isn’t he?
Maybe the rabbit tooth still-DAP MP will write books on bazookas and missiles for DAP next?
No need Zahid Hamidi or DCNS booth in DSA.
Just access Jane’s Defence industry database there’s more comprehensive and super detailed infos on every military equipment in the market.
~ MinDef ’92
They spin, you spin, they spin, you spin…
Everyone chose a side, you included.
In the end objectivity (yours included) goes down the drain.
For true objectivity, the details of the purchases has to be made public. Only then we can make an objective review.
But of course, there are reasons (or excuses, which ever way you look at it) as to why those details can’t be made public.
So, back to spinning…..
Are you not spinning yourself? Cakap tak serupa bikin?
Every country pursues improvement and upgrading of its military assets based on its defence policy and strategies. But what we often hear is the way opposition parties choose to address defence related matters based not on the defence interests of the country, but more towards how and whether there is a need to procure certain military assets. Yet they never say in no uncertain terms that they oppose improvement in the country’s defence assets. Such approach only exposes the weaknesses of the opposition in failing to put things in perspective i.e in the correct perspective. They harp on the Scopene just for the sake ‘ of playing the harp’. It is this kind of intellectual deficiency that makes the oppositions less and less credible. One would then ask a hypothetical question – would the opposition have done the same or any better or worse vis a vis the defence interests of the country and procurement of assets?
“They harp on the Scopene just for the sake ‘ of playing the harp’”
Nice write-up, but dead wrong, mate. The Opposition harp on the alleged kickback of RM500Million within the Scorpene purchase.
The defense interests are not in question here.
Hence the reason the purchase details should be made public.
That is so wrong!
PR leaders like Anwar Ibrahim & Nurul Izzah continuously harping on the submarines’ failure to dive & perpetuated the lie, even to foreign press such as Jakarta Post.
Former DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Dr Kua Kia Soong, as if a military expert, discussed the acquisition without proper mitigating facts on utility and Malaysia’s defense, inside his book.
Why?
They are Neo Con Jewish Agenda agents, as a propaganda that Malaysia’s defense is weak. Even they hv brand new subs, they can’t dive!
Until today, this PKR lot is unable to substantiate with document backing the RM 500 million kickbacks derived from the submarine acquisition.
I thought that there are court proceedings going on in France over the Scorpene subs deal?
There are reports of a Hong Kong-incorporated company being involved in the deal.
I am sure that the French prosecutors and courts will delve into the details and deliver their findings without fear or favour.
They’d do like Lim Guan Eng did in Penang. Bulldozed the decision on the Turn Key sPICE project that went to his crony, the contractor who is the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce President. And sold 100 acres of State land claiming it to be via open tender yet the buyer reported to the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange the purchase involved negotiation – which is not done in open tenders.
“It is good that these MPs come to these exhibitions and enrich themselves with more information…”
I very much doubt their sincerity and intention. Having spoken to some of their top leadership. I’ve decided that they are a bunch of hypocrites. They are not at all interested in the truth. Ese why dont they visit KD TUN RAZAK during LIMA last year? I believe their real intentionhere is to gain any bit of information, even mere soundbites just to cast doubt on government effort to protect this country. They are especially interested in trying to spin the submarines issue and sow public hatred toward government.
After spending about 10 minutes in a show booth, I fully expect to hear this bunch of self serving politician to come up with a statement something to the effect “we’ve spoken to the expert/our sources in the company said/We’ve made our research/we have verified with the expert in the company/…(fill in the blank)…. ”
But then again maybe I expect too much from the remnants of Communist Party of Malaya and their civil outfit – the MIN YUEN.
Rashid Mydin must be smiling in his resting place.
Ooh, do tell – what is the “truth”?
Littoral Combat Ships, when the U S Navy is planning to base at least 2 LCSs in Singapore? It would be interesting to compare their costs and capabilities vis-a-vis their Malaysian counterparts.
Or MiGs and Sukhois in the regional scheme of things?
Or what to do about China’s ambitions in the South China Sea or America’s “Asian pivot” strategy?
When talking abt defence assets one has to look at the naval defence strategy and policy. Littoral combat ships show that Malaysia focuses on the naval constabulary functions and brown water navy rather than green water navy. The only blue water navy in the world is the US with China in the process of building one. Thus the US naval assets in Singapore is typical of the worldwide outreach of its blue water navy. And it is good for China to counter the hegemony of the US in this region. Let them build alliances amongst the ASEAN countries. It will create stalemate and stability without vc
Continuation :
It will create stalemate and stability in the region. Let the pandas and eagles compete, inadvertantly creating an umbrella of protection for minnow States like countries in Southeast Asia.
Yes. It is good and healthy democratic practice for the opposition to get the right information in order for the process of check-and-balance to kick in well. It has been almost 50 years and Malaysia is still dragging in terms of good governance and good opposition. Why do Malaysians take so long to mature?
The answer is straight forward; extremely too much (negative & destructive) politicking!
Opposition, since the longest time, politicize & spin on almost everything. All with negative connotation. Yet, they did nothing constructive.
When the play negative politics like that, then expect reciprocity. Resources would hv to be invested into fixing all these wrong & negative connotation.
Look how Dewan Rakyat or any of the DUNs hv been, since God knows when? They spin issues, more often with fabricated information & on some issues, they perpetuate lies.
Then they go to foreign media & conferences abroad, & continue to perpetuate all that.
How to progress, like that?
Shoot them buggers. If you are in the Wild West, that is.
But we are democratic. Yet bloody Anwarul Al Juburi says otherwise to them Yankees and others. And that ex-American Ambassador what’s-his-name believes it despite no longer being in Malaysia for umpteen years.
No, we cannot shoot them buggers with guns. But shoot them with words we certainly can. The Yanks, the Yoos, Anwar the Rear Admiral (pardon the pun, you sirs in the Military), Kua, Pua and all, every time they go out of tune. Including belittling our defence capability or making wild accusations on our defence purchases.