KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian citizens stand to gain invaluable insights into the capabilities and prowess of their armed forces through strategic displays during airshows, parades, and demonstrations, asserts a seasoned defence expert amid public scrutiny of the twin navy helicopter accident this morning.
Andrin Raj, the regional director of the International Association for Counter-Terrorism and Security Professionals of Southeast Asia (IACSP-SEA), emphasises the necessity of such showcases, noting that they serve not only to educate the public but also to demonstrate strength to regional counterparts.
These remarks follow recent questions raised by netizens regarding the utilisation of military assets, with some advocating for their cessation from public exhibitions.
The discourse gained momentum after the tragic crash of two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) helicopters, claiming the lives of 10 officers.
“RMN is tasked with protecting the nation-state from any infringement of security threats from foreign militaries as well as coordinating maritime support for coastguard and maritime police patrols in preventing arms smuggling, human trafficking, or illicit trade.
“(Therefore, using armed forces assets for airshows and displays) is also, in many ways, a show of the armed forces capabilities and strength, as all foreign militaries in the region (will be) watching the parade.
Raj acknowledges the associated risks, particularly in light of recent events, saying, “While showcasing assets through airshows and displays is crucial for training and public awareness, it’s essential to recognise the potential costs incurred by the military in the event of accidents, whether during peacetime or conflict, which cannot be anticipated.”
The tragic incident involved an AgustaWestland AW139 maritime operations helicopter (HOM M503-3) and a Eurocopter Fennec (M502-6), which occurred during a rehearsal for the RMN’s 90th anniversary celebration.
In response to the loss, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Khaled Nordin expressed condolences and highlighted the ongoing efforts to bolster the military’s capabilities despite setbacks.
Khaled also said the anniversary celebration was cancelled following the accident. Instead, the navy will be holding a tahlil ceremony for the fallen navy officers.
Andrin underscores the challenges faced by the Defence Ministry in recovering from such losses, emphasising the irreplaceable nature of these assets.
“These assets do have insurance, but losing some will cost time and effort to recover. It may not completely affect the assets of the armed forces, but these will hinder maritime support.
“You cannot just buy one, so it will be a major loss for the navy. However, they can still operate with available support assets from the coastguard and air force if there is a security threat.”
He also added that the crash could have been avoided if all tactical manoeuvre information on the flight path and standard operating procedures had been followed.
“What is tragic is the loss of human lives and a crew who was not supposed to be in the aircraft. Those who serve the nation know this is part of being in the service to support and defend the country.
“The issue is how experienced the pilots were, as this is possibly a human error based on the looks in the video (which was circulated on social media). These assets were maintained, and they have been given the go-ahead to fly for the event.
“In such a tactical event, there should not be any passengers for the ride. The pilots were performing tactical manoeuvring during the rehearsal, so (there should be) no passengers except for the captain and the co-technical crew, since any air tactical, be it aircraft, helicopter, or any other, is a dangerous matter.
“It is planned earlier in all technical manoeuvres and coordinated before taking to the skies, and it’s not up to any of the pilots to decide otherwise,” he said.
“Either way, we need to wait for investigations to see if the helicopters were malfunctioning,” he added.
The crash took the lives of 10 officers who were stationed in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and Lumut, Perak. All the deceased were between 26 and 41 years of age, and they held various ranks.
Those aboard the HOM were Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, Wan Rezaudeen Kamal Wan Zainal Abidin, Mohammad Amirulfaris Mohamad Marzukhi, Muhammad Faisol Tamadun, Noorfarahimi Mohd Saedy, Noor Rahiza Anuar, and Joanna Felicia Rohna.
The three crew members aboard the Fennec were identified as Muhamad Amir Mohamad, Sivasutan Thanjappan, and Mohd Shahrizan Mohd Termizi. – April 23, 2024