MAF to rebalance personnel deployment between peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak
KOTA TINGGI: The government will restructure the deployment of Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak to ensure a more balanced concentration of defence assets, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is set to restructure personnel deployment between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak to achieve a more balanced distribution of defence assets, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The government aims for an even split, with 50% of MAF personnel stationed in the peninsula and the remaining 50% in Sabah and Sarawak.
Currently, approximately two-thirds of MAF personnel are based in the peninsula, while the remaining one-third are situated in Sabah and Sarawak, totalling about 20,000 personnel at any given time.
Nordin emphasized this shift during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Asrama Anak-Anak Yatim Islam Kota Tinggi. He clarified that the government is not concerned about the military build-up in Balabac Island, Philippines, located near Malaysia. Instead, he stressed the importance of viewing the situation from a perspective of preparedness, rather than perceiving it as a direct threat to Malaysia.
Nordin highlighted that if the Philippines upgrades its bases and military presence in Balabac, any dispute or clash in that small geopolitical area could potentially spill over into Malaysia.
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