'This expenditure is one way in which certain individuals enrich themselves through commissions, over-pricing and the selling of sub-standard equipment.'

No parliamentary oversight on defence spending

Swipenter: When you have two-thirds majority in Parliament, then Parliament will become a dysfunctional institution. This is a lesson that voters must not forget. Over the last 10 years who was the defence minister besides the present one who doubted the patriotism of the non-Malays?

Asean members are supposed to be our friends, but Malaysia is spending on arms purchases as if we were might be going to war with one of them. Defence procurement is one of the most corrupted businesses in the world, and arms dealers and agents are known to make big bucks buying and selling these weapons of destruction.

For example, Amin Shah Omar Shah of PSC-Naval Dockyard got hundreds of millions upfront from the government but he can't deliver the all patrol boats, and those delivered were short on quality. I understand that those Polish tanks bought years ago were also "useless" because it can't fire on the move.

Zimbobwe: I salute Dr Kua Kia Soong for diligently voicing on our behalf the horror of a renegade military-industrial-capitalist power elite that controls every facet of our national and political life.

There is absolutely no justification for buying so much useless hardware when our real problem is outdated human software - namely, outmoded belief systems and a population that is largely functioning as semi-literate wage slaves, kept on the grindstone all their lives so they never have time to look around and figure out who's pulling their strings and jerking them around.

Johorean: As China tries to expand its 'soft power' and hegemonic imperialism, Asean countries feel compelled to beef up their security. This is witnessed in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Defence expenditures are astronomical. Many of you wouldn't know that even though Sino-Malaysian bilateral ties are on the uptick, submarines purchased by the government are ironically placed in Borneo facing the South China Sea.

Do the calculations - defence spending pertains to national security, so give the government a break. However, my argument is only valid on the premise that the acquisitions of such armoury are done equitably and graft-free.

Faz: Malaysia is not going to war with any country in Southeast Asia since war is not an option in any of the Asean countries.

So, the only justification to acquire new military hardware is the progeny of the industrial-military complex comprising of the top brass or ex-top brass of the military, the senior bureaucrats and ex-bureaucrats of the government, and the Umno-BN politicians and related businessmen - all in collusion to enrich themselves with the rakyat's money.

Normally, some will be allocated to Umno-BN for general election expenses. After all, the allocation has already been approved in the budget and have to be used up (What an excuse, as the approval in Parliament is by brute force of the majority of BN and the planning for the acquisition is by the very same people who will benefit from the proposals).

This shameful trickery must be stopped, not with reasons or appeals but by removing them from the seat of the federal government.

Defence Ministry goes on a spending spree

Disgusted: Who are we at war with or who is our external threat for such a exorbitant spending? Usually we seem to pay very high prices for outdated military hardware which sometimes ended up unused in some warehouse, and may eventually be sold to some junk trader.

In the meantime, many chosen middlemen and you-know-who laugh their way to the bank. Remember Perimekar?

JBGUY: This expenditure is one way in which certain individuals enrich themselves through commissions, over-pricing and the provision of sub-standard equipment. It is something that needs immediate attention but the House speaker is a mere tool of the ruling party and will never allow any debate on it.

The Malaysian people to a large extent are an ignorant lot who do not see the impact of corruption to their lives. We see how corrupt politicians are hailed as heroes and voted into power despite bleeding the country's coffers. Chief Minister Abdul Taib Rahman will win in Sarawak, as will most of our corrupt ministers.

Jay Tan: Can I become the next defence minister please?

A Territorial Army company for each constituency

Kgen: Why is the Territorial Army set up in each constituency? To get more postal votes so as to give BN an unfair advantage? The tricks that BN plays to subvert the democratic process is unbelievable.

Sometimes I think the only way BN can be kicked out of power is after the country has been run into the gutter like Zimbabwe.

Rick Teo: Now BN can secure more postal votes in each and every constituency. Which means that they can maipulate the results of all the 222 parliamentary constituencies. If that is not the reason for planting these territorial armies in all the constituencies, then how do you explain setting up a military base in Cheras as well as all the parliamentary seats in Penang?

Anak Bangsa Malaysia: Excuse me, Zahid, I hadn't noticed we were in a war. Perhaps you would like to explain exactly what kind of nefarious threat hangs over Malaysia such that we need to raise a Territorial Army company in each constituency? Otherwise it sounds suspiciously like:

1) an occupation garrison to preserve the Umno-BN regime by force if necessary;

2) an excuse to generate more contracts and graft opportunities for the cronies;

3) yet another way of gerrymandering the elections by creating an excuse to introduce more 'postal' and phantom voters.

Geronimo: I smell a rat here and it is not pleasant.

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