Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu has given his assurance that there is
no discrimination in the armed forces and those who work hard in their
careers will be rewarded. "We
will continue to hold campaigns. We know that enlistment is high among
the Indian community but among the Chinese, we hope more will enlist,"
he said. Read it all here....................
This is another fairy tale. We are talking Service Chiefs, 4 Star Generals. None, zilch, nada, boliao. None have ever become Service Chiefs. Lt Generals yes, 3 Star Generals one was Lt Gen Stevenson of the Engineers and Lt General Stephen Mundaw of the Ranger Corps.
No one from the Ranger Corps one of the most distinguished fighting units, has made it to a 4 star General. This Iban Officer was bypassed many a time. After seeing the results of the Sibu "buy elections", where the BN lost, I guess they saw the writing on the wall and promoted an Iban Officer to become the first Iban who made it to General, Stephen Mundaw, in September that year.
Anyway that is peanuts, East Malaysians should demand and expect at least a 4 star General from amongst the Ibans, whose bodies have been littered across the battle fields in Malaysia. Their courage and ferocity in battle is unmatched!!
I was bypassed so many times I know that, don't give kids false hopes. So there is not much hope. They will keep on lying. I was on a course, I was the syndicate leader. There were 6 of us in that syndicate, we were to write a paper on how the Americans would invade Iraq after the occupation of Kuwait by the Iraqis.
There was one Officer from the Royal Malay Regiment in my syndicate, who couldn't string a decent sentence in English, he free loaded all the way, contributed as best as he could. He was my Junior as an Officer, we were both Captains, my batch who were commissioned with me were already Majors.
Completed my course and returned to the unit, served in Somalia, about three years later I met him in the Officers Mess in my unit having his breakfast, I was then a Major, my mouth went agape ! He was sitting at the dining table wearing the rank of a full Colonel with his red gorgets. I regained my composure and said, "XXX you are a Colonel now?" I have to relate that story to connect it with CSM.
CSM ,which means Cawangan Sumber Manusia which we sarcastically call "Cawangan Sumber Melayu" is a bastion of the Royal Malay Regiment. No one can penetrate. They will always serve themselves and protect the interests of the Royal Malay Regiment. All officers, have to do "ERE", which means 'Extra Regimental Employment' as instructors or at formation headquarters.
All the cushy ones are taken up by young inexperienced officers from the RMR. There are cases of CO's from the Artillery Regiment because of the limited ERE appointments had to command the regiment 3 times. Young incompetents are elevated to powerful positions, experienced trainers are bypassed. Training establishments get mediocre incompetents and the standards drop.
I myself was overlooked for courses. When you are intentionally bypassed for courses, promotions will be late too. By which time age will catch up. Then you will no more be eligible. Officers who were my juniors came into my unit to be promoted over me, when I was one of the many officers preparing the troops for Somalia, they just breezed in and put on their ranks, why? Because they were converts.
You guys really need to speak to the Generals, from the Royal Malay Regiment, if you want to know the truth. Definitely you won't get the Truth. Mat Sabu won't know the truth if he is lied to. Major General Toh Choon Siang was a Major for 12 years and a Lt Colonel for 13 years, whilst his batch mates were 1 star and two star Generals. Is that NOT discrimination? Until outsiders spoke up for him and brought that up. They noticed.
The Royal Malay Regiment and CSM controls appointments and promotions. Cawangan Sumber Manusia in Mindef is the bastion of the Royal Malay Regiment, no doubt there are officers from other Corps, still they are Malays, who don't have much say or they are contented with what they have got. Until "Cawangan Sumber Melayu" is changed to Cawangan Sumber Manusia, there is not much hope. Priority is for the same race.
The Military has been known for promoting mediocrity and meritrocracy is oft times absent!! Other Corps too face the same bane.
Well, we have been through this road many times, nothing ever changes......
