At a Cost to Malaysian taxpayers of RM 1.9 Million, or RM 15,573.77 for each soldier.
Malaysian Armed Forces Acting PA Director Colonel Fadzlette Othman Merican said that the 122-member team from The Royal Malay Regiment has been selected to perform the “London Public Duties” in England. The First Battalion will represent the regiment, and will leave Kuaa Lumpur on 16th April 2008 for a 60 day tour of duty in the United Kingdom at a cost of RM1.9 million, this amount will cover their insurance, attire and flight tickets.
This works out to RM 15,573.77 each, thus the attire they are going to wear must be really costly, as the return air fare will not exceed RM 5,000 each, and the insurance premium will be say RM 500.00 each, that leaves a balance of about RM10,073.77 each for their kit!!!!!
The RM 10K kit, sorry, 'attire' may be:
Gold Lame' under ware, and bejewelled sequinned tunics, with golden metallic trousers, all bespoke tailored at Najib's personal tailors in Savile Row, London? The hats of course will be class A songkoks, bought at Jalan Masjid india in KL for about RM 50 each.
The team will be guarding
DPM Najib Abdul Razak, who is also defence minister, tried to defend the decision to send the team as a recognition for Malaysian soldiers, by the Chief of General Staff of the United Kingdom, Sir Richard Dannat, who had been impressed with them during a visit here recently.
“He saw our capability, the way our soldiers marched, so he proposed that we be given this honour. I take it as an honour for our Malay Regiment. It is not about guarding the palace but about the recognition. That is important,” Najib was reported to have said.
The Malaysian DPM & DMIf you think it is so important Mr Defence Minister, why don’t you fork out the 1.9 million Ringgit yourself, why should the Malaysian taxpayers pay for your ego building trip.
UPDATE on 8th April 2008
London public duties updated:The cost to send the 122 'members' of the Royal Malay Regiment (RMR) to serve in “London public duties” in England for two months will be shared with the British government.
A Defence Ministry public relations division spokesman said it was a cost sharing mission between the two governments.
“They invited us there so they will bear some of the costs and we will pay the rest,” she said.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry in a press statement had said there were some mistakes in news reports on the cost of the mission. When asked, the spokesperson declined to reveal the actual cost.
On 7th April 2008, BERNAMA had reported the 'team' will depart for London on 16 April, and were expected to begin their duty on 18th April until it ends on 12th June 2008.
The ministry said the cost mentioned in the article was 'not accurate' but agreed that it was for insurance, attire and flight tickets.
The ministry also denied that the team will be attired in ceremonial temperate dress, comprising a red coat, black pants and a bearskin cap as stated in the report as they would be donning their army (Tentera Darat Malaysia) uniform.
More spin, fudging and bullshit stories can be expected.
Whatever the truth is, taxpayers' money is being poured down the drain.
I bet it will cost the Malaysian taxpayers much more than RM1.9 million with all the +++
One thing is certain, the actual cost will be kept a Official Secret.
Sic volo, sic iubeo!
- I want this, I order this!
6 comments:
No kidding?Spend RM 1.9 m to have our soldiers as 'jaga' to guard some mat salleh's palaces ?
Shouldn't the Brits be paying for our 'jaga' service ?
1) Are you sure its only RM1.9m, what about the hidden costs?
2) The kits are expensive as we need to be on par with the Jones?
3) I am not proud if my fellow Malaysians are made 'security guards' without pay. Palace or no palace.
4) Should I send my dressed-up maid over when a more affluent neighbour praised her?
Its a Ceremonial Duty and if im not mistaken a real one as wello. As such its bestowed to the RMR that even monarch of former British empire is willing to give RMR to guard palace. Its an Honor.
The Ego trip Najib is going through has nothing to do with the RMR. Soldiers are soldiers, and they follow orders. But to me RMR is getting much needed exposure and improving the image of Muslims that they could so be well trained and discipline troops.
4 Countries has been bestowed this honor thus far. We should be proud. 1.9 million dollars is a small comparison to the waste of the "space program".
Quoted from a newspaper article:
(Note to blog owner: You sound so cynical and jaded.)
Welsh Guards Drill Sergeant, Warrant Officer Second Class Dorian Thomas, was one of the three British trainers who spent three weeks training the RMR in Malaysia, preparing them for their ceremonial duties in the UK. He said:
"I've now trained many incremental Companies that have come across here, and their standard of drill to begin with was immaculate. All we really had to teach was the procedures, or the different procedures we use on our Guard Bands."
Following today's ceremony, WO2 Thomas said that the Malaysians had been outstanding; the best visiting company he had ever seen.
Another of the trainers was Warrant Officer Class 1 W D G Mott OBE, who is the Garrison Sergeant Major at London District and oversees all the Royal ceremonial parades taking place in London and the Home Counties:
"I think it's lovely to have the Malay Regiment on guard now," he said. "They're on Queen's Guard. They've mounted. They're very professional. They've got a lovely attitude towards it.
“From the inception of this with the Chief of General Staff with the Chief of Army over in Malay, General Ismael, everything has been 'cooking on gas'. They've been positive all the way through – very professional as I say – and it's lovely to have them on board."
A soldier of the Royal Malay Regiment and a soldier of the Welsh Guards are given orders for their duties on guard at Buckingham Palace
[Picture: Sergeant Mick Howard RLC]
"The Malay Regiment are very professional men and they've come on board with an absolutely outstanding attitude. And that three weeks – you'd think they've been training for about six months."
He said that Malaysians everywhere should take pride in the professionalism of their soldiers.
You freakin wanker. I was there. And I was proud to be among a few thousand spectators. At the end of the parademany were asking around "Where are thes fine soldiers from?"
Thank you to anon. 00:14, who was commenting from the City of London,(perhaps he is a Malaysian having fun in London at taxpayers expense?) for the pathetic childish insult, and the comments, which are
totally irrelevant to the post.
Nowhere I insult, demean or cast doubt about the capability of the Malaysia Army in general, [or the 1st Battalion of the Regimen Askar Melayu Diraja (RAMD) or in English the Royal Malay Regiment (RMR)]in particular.
The post was concerning the announced cost to Malaysian taxpayers, of sending these soldiers to London.
You can see my other post on this subject at the url below:
http://promptus.blogspot.com/2008/
05/royal-malay-regiment-on-public-
duities.html
FYI:
The Royal Malay Regiment's (in Bahasa Malaysia: Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja) crest is a pair of tigers, supporting an oriental crown.
Within the circle of the crest are a crossed kris and scabbard with the regimental motto "Ta'at Setia" written in Jawi (Bahasa Malaysia written in Arabic script), above it, which means in English "Loyal True". Below the circle is the regiment’s name, also written in Jawi scriot
Major G. McI. S. Bruce and Captain K. G. Exham, the founding officers of this Regiment, designed the Regimental crest.
The history of the RMR began 75 years ago with it’s establishment on 1st March 1933.
As its name suggests, it only recruits ethnic Malays to its ranks, so in this regard is not at all representative of Malaysia, which is a nation which is rich in ethnic diversity.
The RAMD is the premier unit in the Malaysian Army.
On public duty in London is an elite, hand picked, specially trained squad from the 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment which is the ceremonial battalion for H.M. the King and it is accompanied by the Central Band of the Malay Regiment.
It is therefore not surprising that they are putting on an excellent show in London, and are performing their duties immaculately.
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