PARLIAMENT | Former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein made several jabs at the delays in the tabling of the Defence White Paper by the Pakatan Harapan government in his Budget 2020 debate today.
"When asked what is the Defence Ministry's (Mindef) plan, their answer is simple: Wait for the Defence White Paper.
"The problem is, the Defence Minister has promised to table the White Paper six times. This includes when he was speaking at Mindef's monthly assembly on Oct 14, saying the White Paper will be tabled in December, so let us wait together to see whether the White Paper will really be tabled this time," Hishammuddin (photo) said during his Budget 2020 debate in the Dewan Rakyat today.
"In the context of defence assets, it will take time and terrorists will not wait for our White Paper," he added later.
Regardless, he said, the White Paper is a document outlining Mindef's 10-year plan but the more immediate concern should be Mindef's plan for 2020 itself.
He lamented that there were no big initiatives or strategic plans for the country's defence or for the armed forces and veterans announced in Budget 2020.
"We have given a period of almost two years for this government to seriously think about Mindef's direction, but lately we see the planning for funding is not based on reality," Hishammuddin said.
"Last year, we may have given them time to get used to the affairs of Mindef, but now it is almost two years so it is time for them to take leadership," he said to reporters later, after his speech.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu had said that the Defence White Paper will be tabled in December this year. - Mkini
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