There is an apparent lack of responsibility on the part of the commander of Malaysia’s elite forces based at Sg. Udang Camp, Malacca. Reports are abound that a number of buildings in the camp are in such dilapidated state due to lack of maintenance, and this has affected the moral of the soldiers and families residing within the camp area.
Sg. Udang Camp which was built to accommodate the Commonwealth Forces during the colonial period, is presently the home of the Special Forces Training Centre and including two special forces regiments.
The buildings in the camp that are so badly affected due to lack of maintenance are the married quarters for both the other ranks and officers, officers mess, warrant officer and sergeant’s messes, living accommodation for other ranks and the swimming pool.
One is surprised to note that senior officers from the Department of Army that visits the camp occasionally are not unaware of the poor state of buildings in the camp, and the sufferings that the occupants has to endure, living in dilapidated buildings all this while. I am informed that there is no effort to show visiting senior officers the affected buildings, and the visiting officers would normally end up with a sumptuous meal at the officers mess.
It is obvious that the commander who is a one star general, has shown little concern to ensure that proper preventive building maintenance is carried out on scheduled. The attitude shown by the senior officer reflects poorly of the army, and certainly he does not deserve to be where he is today. He should not seek excuses, but to accept the fact that he has failed in his responsibility to ensure that the men (including families) under his command are being well looked after, and not to be treated like trash.
I would like to appeal to the Department of Army to take a serious view into this matter, in order to restore the moral of the men and their families that are badly affected by the lack of proper building maintenance at Sg. Udang Camp, Malacca.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Posted at 16.30 on March 25, 2009
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7 comments:
Dato'
Most army camps in Malaysia are in pathetic state, not just this one. I agree with you that 'upgarding' or 'new camps' are required BUT it is not top priority. DEs are more focused on arms acquisition.I don't think you will allow your grandchildren to join the army.
hmm.. wonder if the PLKNs camps more equiped n uptodate? Opening up of new bases/camps are in DEs? OEs should cater for the current camps i suppose. muakakakak.. R we on the same wavelength with all these acronyms?I'm guessing.
Dato'.
Why are you surprised? I am very sure you have seen the standards deteriorated over the years in your personal capacity as a once one-star general yourself.
You were part of the system.
Now you want to claim the high ground?
Dear Hansac,
Thanks for the comment. Agreed, I was part of the system, but you need to view the pictures that I have of the buildings that I was referring to, to understand why I had to expose it in my blog. I am not claiming that I was good, but I certainly did not neglect the welfare of my soldiers.
Put up the pictures, Dato'! Pictures speak thousand words.
Dato,
The Army has built a new camp for our elite forces in Mersing. I believe plans are currently underway to relocate the remaining soldiers at Sg Udang to this new facilities.
The Army had always planned for better facilities for the soldiers however the allocation of money was never sufficient to launch a full scale upgrading.
I believe instead of writing negative things about the Army, the veterans like you should fight for them from the outside by convincing the government to give more money to the Army's budget. The thing about the veteran's is that they are never thankful of what the Army had provided to them during their service. When they leave with frustration they bring the frustration with them without reflecting it on themself.
Lets be more positive, instead of looking at weaknesses you should find ways to help. You can never be separated from the system, you are the system as a famous general once said "Once a soldier, Always a soldier".
The home of our Special Forces is now Iskandar Camp at Mersing.The best ever and well equipped camp built by the governmnet for our elite forces.This camp is the envy of other Corps.
I believe eventually the Special Forces School in Sg Udang will also be relocated to Mersing.Hence low priority is given to its maintainance at the moment.
The Army has a mixture of new and old camps.For example all the camps in Gemas are brand new whereas the ones in Kluang are quite old built by the British before WW2.Unfortunately unlike the Navy and Air Force, the Army has more old camps than new ones.
It is common knowledge that year in and year out the Army does not get the required amount of funds to properly maintain the old camps.Hence they are unable to do a good job at it.
I am of the opinion, the present system is not efficient because of the difficulty in getting yearly maintainanance allocations and poor delivery systems due to corruption and poor quality work by contractors.
I would like to suggest LTAT make a proposal to the Government to take over the maintainance of all military camps including the Navy and Air Force along the lines of Syarikat Perumahan Kerajaan and SPANCO business models.
However, in the process LTAT on its part must ensure it does not kill the small genuine contractors which are mostly owned by ex-servicemen who trying to survive.LTAT should invite them to be part of the consortium to look after the maintainance of militry cmaps.
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