KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has finalised eight key thrusts under the 2022 Action Plan (PT22) to better coordinate its policies and direction.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the eight thrusts are welfare, alertness and capability, international defence cooperation, empowerment of veterans, defence competence, civil-military cooperation, the national defence industry and preparedness for large-scale crises.
The thrusts were based on views and suggestions from Hishammuddin, the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abdul Aziz, Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Affendi Buang and the ministry personnel.
"It does not matter whether you're in green (Malaysian Army), blue (Royal Malaysian Air Force), white (Royal Malaysian Navy) or in plain clothes as the ministry's personnel, everyone was directly involved in drafting PT22," he said when delivering the 2022 New Year mandate speech at Wisma Perwira here.
Present were his deputy Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, Muez and Affendi.
He added the ministry will also further strengthen the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement initiative implemented with Indonesia and the Philippines since 2017 to strengthen security control in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas.
Meanwhile, on acquiring new defence assets, Hishammuddin said this month the army would receive seven Pendekar battle tanks and 31 Gempita 8x8 multi-purpose armoured vehicles.
"The navy's last Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) named Rencong, from the first batch, will be commissioned on Jan 28, and we have started planning to acquire eight New LMS through a second batch.
"Also, three AW 139 Maritime Operations helicopters from Italy will be acquired in March.
"As for the air force, it will increase its maritime surveillance aircraft (MSA) capability on three CN235-200 aircraft, increase the capability of its F/A18D aircraft through the Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP), and increase the capacity of its Airbus A400M aircraft through Retrofit New SOC 2.5," he said.
Hishammuddin added that the government was also looking into stalled projects under the ministry such as the procurement of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and MD530G Helicopters.
"The plan is to provide LCS Project Rehabilitation Plan options, hold discussions with the Finance Ministry and the tabling of the plan during the Cabinet meeting.
"The ministry's secretary-general and I will be meeting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) soon to explain in detail our plan regarding the LCS.
"I assure you that there is nothing to hide," he said.