PARLIAMENT | Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu today said the budget allocation for the Defence Ministry (Mindef) in 2019 would be increased from time to time subject to the government’s current financial status to ensure the security of the country was at an optimum level.

When winding-up the debate on Budget 2019 for his ministry, Mohamad said he had received a written reply from the Finance Ministry to clarify further the 2019 allocation for his ministry.

“In a written reply to me, the Finance Ministry said a sum of RM1.4 billion would be allocated for the maintenance of major assets of the armed forces and under the Finance Ministry the actual allocation for Mindef in 2019 amounted to RM15.3 billion. The method and mechanism of channelling the maintenance allocation will be coordinated with Mindef soon.

“The Finance Ministry also said that it acknowledged the need for an additional allocation for Mindef in 2019 subject to the current financial capability to ensure security in the country is at an optimum level,” he said when reading out the written reply he received from the Financial Ministry.

Therefore, he said the reply was an assurance that there would not be a reduction in allocation under Budget 2019 for Defence Ministry and he also gave the assurance that the ministry would operate well.

When replying to an interjection by Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) on security threat in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) following the detention of the seven Abu Sayyaf members in Sabah several days ago, Mohamad said the crime rate in the area had fallen drastically.

He said the waters in the South China Sea and Sulu Sea had become the focus lately following military operation coordination between the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia in the area.

“Under the three-nation pact, we share security information and conduct joint patrols to combat criminals especially the kidnap for ransom cases,” he said.

- Bernama