VIDEO l 4.58 min

JOHOR Former army chief Hashim Hussein will apply his successful combat plan in the Bosnia-Herzegovina civil war in the 1990s against Umno veteran Shahrir Abdul Samad to conquer the BN stronghold of Johor Bahru .

"I will not divulge (the plan) at the moment, but suffice to say it was the same plan (in Bosnia), although we have to suit to the environment here in Johor Bahru.

NONE "I have a master's in war studies and we do the study of war. Of course, as a soldier I will apply it on the ground," Hashim said said in an interview with KiniTV yesterday evening, after his walkabout in Century Garden, Johor Bahru ( right ).

Stressing that the plan was time-tested and highly effective, he revealed that it has been divided into "strategic, operational and tactical" parts.

"Whenever you plan a campaign, it has got to be a plan, and you must stick to the plan come what may, and my plan is really based on my combat experience in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"Mind you, I was there at the height of the war, when things were very challenging and we had to go through so many problems," he said.

Hashim headed the Malaysian battalion (Malbat) that was part of the United Nations Protection Force (Unprofor) in Bosnia in 1993.

The PKR Johor Bahru candidate said he was also practising 'total quality management' - a system adopted during his tenure as a commander in an army training school in Port Dickson.

shahrir samad interview 250907 smiles "That is doing the right things right the first time, on time, all the time... That's what I'm going to do here in Johor Bahru."

Asked for his views on Shahrir ( right ), a former minister who has four decades of political experience under his belt, Hashim quoted several prominent war strategists to emphasise his points.

"Sun Tzu said, 'Know your enemy, know yourself and you never fear a thousand battles' - that's what we have done.

"But of course ... when you talk about (German military theorist) Carl von Clausewitz, he talked about war being in the dimension of uncertainty, fear, exhaustion and danger. I think you can relate what I said as far as the political situation here."

'We have studied the ground'

Hashim said he and his team have studied the ground, the support they have, surveyed the area and worked out what more they need to do.

azlan On the issue that he was 'parachuted' to Johor Bahru merely one month after joining PKR, Hashim stressed that he was born there and received his early education in the city.

"I was the first commander of the rapid deployment force, 10th Brigade Parachute. I know what parachuting is all about.

"So when you talk about parachuting, again, when you land, it is in an area that, as I have said, uncertain.

"There's always fear, danger and exhaustion, but with the skill that you have acquired over the years, with your competency, I think, I will also quote from Napoleon Bonaparte, 'I see only the objective, the obstacle must give way'."

Asked what he could offer to the electorate, he cited his "combat experience" and "proven leadership in the Malaysian army".

He elaborated that he has been appointed by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the chairperson of the newly formed people's security consultation council. Therefore, he would offer his expertise in security issues should he be elected.

Labelled as traitor

On the protest by some 200 army veterans in Johor Bahru yesterday who labelled him as "traitor of the race and religion", Hashim dismissed it as "cheap publicity".

"What would happen if I joined Umno? I'm supposed to be evil? The minute I joined Umno, everybody would say 'look, he is a hero, he is a saviour, he is the real anak Malaysia sejati (true Malaysian son)...

NONE "Because I chose to be with PKR, they have labelled all kinds of things on me and I say to them, it is their own free choice to do whatever they want, but I know my choice is right."

He claimed that he has obtained the backing of 27 senior military officers, and the police force is also waiting to join the movement for change at the right time.

Missing from an earlier walkabout event due to a medical check-up, the 66-year-old grandfather of 16 grandchildren assured reporters that he was in the pink of health.

"(In Bosnia) I was shot at, shelled, a sniper even took four shots at me and I survived... as you can see, I am hale and hearty," Hashim said, flashing a big smile.

During the walkabout in the Chinese area, he was welcomed by the residents, with some of them even following him and shouting slogans in Mandarin, "May 5, change the government" and "Ubah".

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