Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Sub Base Nearby = The Whole Area Is Enemy Target?

A friend posted an article from an internet news portal (what else?) in our military-oriented forum (www.mymil.forums2u.cm). The article raises 'concern' from Sabahans, specifically from Kota Kinabalu about the presence of Teluk Sepanggar naval base in their neighbourhood. Here's the article
Kota Kinabalu open to enemy attack
David Thien
| February 2, 2011
A surreptitious decision to park two offensive attack submarines in Kota Kinabalu has scared its citizens.

KOTA KINABALU: The federal government’s clandestine move to turn Kota Kinabalu into a naval city has angered its citizens who fear for their safety.

According to several local inhabitants here, there was “no notice of such a decision and no public feedback was sought”.

The Sapangar Bay Naval Base, just north of Kota Kinabalu, is said to house two offensive attack submarines that can lay sea mines and fire missiles besides sinking ships with torpedoes.

Jesselton, the former name for Kota Kinabalu, was totally destroyed by bombs during the Second World War except for its damaged clock tower and two other buildings.

Many of the city’s inhabitants and historians are concerned that the secretive decison
(sic) to stack such weapons would endanger the community.

Said Amran, a lecturer with a tertiary college, here, said: “The positioning of the submarines just south across from Cam Ranh Bay Naval Base in Vietnam and the Spratly Islands South China Sea lane choke point may expose Kota Kinabalu to military strikes in the event hostilities break out (against territories) which Malaysia is also claiming.

“Also, Vietnam has reportedly ordered more than six submarines from Russia… it is cause for concern.”

Vulnerable to attack

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia’s longest-serving Defence Minister, was the architect of many of the procurement of military hardwares.

In addition to the Kota Kinabalu naval base, Malaysia has a lagoon-sheltered base and airfield on one of the bigger islands.

Yusof, a retired serviceman upset with the move, said any enemy would seek to first destroy the base.

“Any enemy would want to put out of action any mine-laying and missile-launching vessels by destroying their bases and supporting facilities including food and water supply sources.

“We cannot assume that such a situation will not arise…” he said.

Underscoring his concern is the fact that Malaysia is among six countries staking a claim on the Spratly Islands.

Other countries staking their claim on the oil- and gas-rich Spratly Islands are China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei.

All except Brunei have a military presence among the 45 islands.

The basis of Malaysia’s stake on the Spratlys is its close proximity to Sabah.
(Emphasis added by me)

 The article was obviously nothing more than another PR-supporting news portal attack on the government. The words I boldened were nothing more than 'spices' to add flavour to the article. I find it funny that the writer put the words 'clandestine' and 'secretive' when describing the government's decision to build the Sepanggar Naval Base - how can it be a secret when the decision was made publicly? And most importantly, why this matter was raised roughly 9 years AFTER that? And would the government really needs the consent from the locals in defence matters? And to suggest the high probability of the Perdana-class being priority targets, he added the word 'offensive'.

He also quoted history, saying that Kota Kinabalu was once levelled by bombings during World War 2 and the inhabitants do not want to repeat the experience. He should probably take into account that warring nations then would just level population centers in the name of strategic bombing or terror bombing. In fact anything that can be done to demoralise the enemy soldiers and civilians would be done. Furthermore the 21st century is the era of precision weapons. While I do not deny that Sepanggar will be an enemy's target, it will be done with smart weapons rather than dropping bombs a la B-17s and B-29s. Oh, by the way, Sepanggar is 20 miles away from KK! Also the writer also exposes his ignorance by stating that our country has another base in Sabah 'on one of the bigger islands'. Which island does he mean? Is it one of the islands off KK (of which there are no military bases whatsoever)? Or Labuan? Reporting should be based on facts, and he is unable to give that fact!

To support his article he quoted two residents of KK. One a 'lecturer' and another a 'retired serviceman'. Again this another attempt to give credibility to his article. Again I am bemused by the 'retired serviceman's' comment..apparently he was concerned that his residence could be bombed, forgetting it was he himself would be the target should hostilities occur when he was in the service! As for the bit where Vietnam has ordered six more SSKs from Russia, it should be of concern to the submariners rather than KK residents!

Should this way of thinking (military base nearby = I'm also a target) pervades the whole country, then maybe the residents of Lumut, Butterworth, Kepala Batas, Kuantan, Gong Kedak, Langkawi, Gemas and many other towns with co-located military bases should also be frightfully concerned and the government should relocate these bases to the hinterland, far from towns and where they did not fulfil their purpose.....

Oh well, that's the quality of internet news portal to you!



6 comments:

mumuchi said...

hahahaha! I've left some biting comments at his post. Let's see if he is brave enough to publish it.

battleship said...

damn traitoorrssssss.........

GaGaK said...

an ex serviceman says that? i never thought an ex serviceman think like that?

so all military base should be in a secluded secret are? such as a hidden volcanic lair... that should be nice.

Anonymous said...

These people concern their property value decreasing... that is the only think they can think off.

Anonymous said...

where's me phone.? need to call my mother. my family should relocate coz PULADA is just 1 mile from our home

then again, i should call all my relatives & ask them to leave ulu tiram..

are there any of my relatives at mersing.? GGK is there... arghhhh.. got to call tekong bot macing.. gotta save the boat, if not can't go fishing

ekekekekeee

btw.. MINDEF is just about 1-1 1/2 miles from KLCC

mz@mymil

wirajack said...

I think Kuantan is doomed. It got all Navy, Air Force and Army (mechanised some more)based there.....