A video posted on Facebook by the Malaysian Army during Singapore’s National Day Parade (Aug 21) has been raising eyebrows.
The video showcased military personnel from Malaysia’s 10th Parachute Brigade (commonly known as 10 Para) listening to a briefing by their commander, identified as Brigadier General Khairul Azmizal Ahmad Natal.
10 Para is a quick reaction force based in Malacca, specialising in airborne and amphibious operation. They are primarily the first responders to any conflict and can be rapidly deployed as the main offensive force in times of war or emergencies.
Pictured: 10 Para members and the Malaysian police standing guard in 2016 when Malaysia was put on a high terrorist alert due to ISIS
Exercise simulated the retaking of territory previously captured by an “enemy”
The exercise – codenamed “Para Predator” – is premised on the retaking of towns previously captured by an “enemy” identified as “101 CORP” and to prevent further loss of territories.
In the scenario, 101 Corp’s primary mission objective was to capture the federal territory of Putrajaya through Kuantan (in the state of Pahang) and the town of Gerik (in the state of Perak) by conducting pre-emptive strikes on strategic military installations located along the East coast states of peninsular Malaysia.
In addition, 101 Corp was to conduct a major exercise as a deception plan to move all military assets from a small island towards the mainland (Tekong, anyone?)
10 Para mission objective was to:
- deny 101 Corp from invading Peninsular Malaysia
- deny 101 Corp from capturing Putrajaya
“Punching through enemy lines” and “two crossing sites”
According to the video, 10 Para will “drop behind the enemy line” and “get the affiliation assets and units to support the LPBG (Leading Parachute Battle Group)” to defend and secure “two crossing sites”.
Some netizens suggested that the two crossing sites refers to the causeway linking Singapore and Malaysia in Tuas and Woodlands.
On the contrary, 10 Para’s objective was to “establish two crossing sites” in the vicinity of a town called Chenor (Pahang), 182km away from Putrajaya. They were to secure and hold the town for “at least 72 hours and up to 7 days” to facilitate a counterattack by supporting infantry forces coming from Kuantan.
Military operation planned while M’sia new leader was still the Minister of Defence
Concidentally, Malaysia’s new prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was formerly the Minister of Defence, a role he assumed from 10 March 2020 to 16 August 2021.
The military video was recorded on 17 August 2021, a day after Ismail officially left office.
Was the video a subtle message by Ismail to Singapore?
Or is Ismail looking to drum up domestic support by portraying Singapore as the foreign boogeyman?
Ismail is a divisive figure in Malaysia, with over 350K Malaysians signing a petition against him as PM.
Ismail had previously courted controversy in 2015 as the minister in charge of domestic trade, for a Facebook post in which he urged Malay consumers to boycott what he said were profiteering Chinese businesses.
That same year, he raised more hackles by setting up what became known as “Low Yat 2”, a digital-gadget mall at which only Malay-owned computer businesses were allowed to trade.
