Kuala Lumpur, 6 November 2019 – Defence Minister YB Mohamad bin Sabu delivered a keynote address at Chiefs’ Circle Talk (CCT) 2/2019 at Wisma Perwira ATM today.

More importantly, the event was also attended by former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), former Secretary-Generals (Sec-Gen) and former Service Chiefs. A total of 35 guests attended this CCT 2/19 organized by MiDAS after it was first held on 15 March 2019.

During this CCT, the Deputy Sec-Gen (Policy) En Ahmad Nadzri bin Mohd Hassan gave a Defence White Paper Draft (DWP) briefing aimed at getting feedback on completing the draft DWP before tabling in Parliament scheduled for 2 December 2019. The Council was fully engaged to realise the DWP.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Defence, YB Senator Liew Chin Tong; Secretary-General of Ministry of Defence, YBhg. Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki bin Ali; CDF YBhg. General Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Hajj Zulkifli bin Hajj Zainal Abidin; Service Chiefs and senior military and civil servants of the Ministry of Defence.

Kuala Lumpur, 6 November 2019 – Menteri Pertahanan, YB Mohamad bin Sabu menyampaikan ucaptama di Chiefs’ Circle Talk (CCT) 2/2019 bertempat di Wisma Perwira ATM hari ini.

Lebih bermakna lagi , majlis ini juga dihadiri mantan-mantan Panglima Angkatan Tentera (PAT), Mantan-mantan Ketua Setiausaha (KSU) dan mantan-mantan panglima perkhidmatan. Seramai 35 org tetamu menghadiri CCT 2/19 anjuran MiDAS ini selepas kali pertama ia diadakan pada 15 Mac 2019 yang lalu.

Semasa CCT ini, TKSU (Dasar), En Ahmad Nadzri bin Mohd Hassan telah memberikan Taklimat Draf Kertas Putih Pertahanan (KPP) yang bertujuan untuk mendapat maklumbalas bagi melengkapkan draf KPP sebelum dibentangkan di Parlimen yang dijadualkan pada 2 Disember 2019. Majlis telah berlangsung dengan penuh harmoni dan semangat untuk merealisasikan KPP buat pertama kalinya.

Turut hadir, Timb. Menteri Pertahanan, YB Senator Liew Chin Tong; Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pertahanan, YBhg. Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki bin Ali; Panglima Angkatan Tentera, YBhg. Jeneral Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Haji Zulkifli bin Haji Zainal Abidin; Panglima-panglima Perkhidmatan serta pegawai kanan tentera dan awam Kementerian Pertahanan.

Article by MY Military Times
8 November 2019

PETALING JAYA: Former Armed Forces chief General (Rtd) Tan Sri Dr Hashim Mohd Ali voiced his opposition to the ban on the sale of hard liquor at sundry and grocery shops, as well as convenience stores and Chinese medicine shops in Kuala Lumpur.

Hashim, who is also president of a group made up of retired armed forces chiefs known as the Chiefs Circle, said the Armed Forces is made up of both Muslims and non-Muslims and the open purchase and drinking of liquor for non-Muslim officers from the Malaysian Armed Forces Trading Corp (Pernama) stores has never been a problem.

"In fact, it allowed senior officers to monitor the purchase and drinking behaviour of non-Muslim armed forces personnel under their watch," he said.

Hashim, who is also a former Pernama chairman, was echoing the views of Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan president Datuk Brig-General (Rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji who on Monday (Nov 23) also opposed the move by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Hashim said he shared Arshad's view that the rights of the non-Muslims must be respected.

"While it is not my business to promote alcohol consumption, we must respect the rights of non-Muslims, as we live in a multi-religious country and for many generations, there have been no problems on the sale of liquor at these outlets," he said.

He added that there are also no local studies and evidence to link the sale of liquor from such outlets to drink driving or health problems.

"There are far more harmful things such as cigarettes that are being sold from these outlets and there must be no double standards involved in coming out with such a policy to curb the sale of liquor.

"Furthermore, the last thing that our economy needs in this Covid-19 pandemic and after is further curbs to legitimate business activities," he said.

Hashim also found it alarming that Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary would suggest that the ban may be extended to other states.

Marzuk made the statement on Saturday (Nov 21), saying that he did not rule out the possibility of the rule being extended outside Kuala Lumpur.

Hashim also called for the ban to be rescinded otherwise it could undermine the spirit of Rukun Negara, national unity and cultural harmony, as well as the diversity enjoyed by both Muslims and non-Muslims.

"I would like to remind ministerial newbies not to be blindly overzealous in enforcing their religious beliefs on Malaysians of other faiths. That in itself is against the fundamental tenets of Islam, which commands Muslims in authority to protect the rights and liberties of non-Muslims under their care," he said.

On Nov 16, DBKL announced that starting Oct 1 next year, sundry and grocery shops, convenience stores as well as Chinese medicine shops in Kuala Lumpur will not be allowed to sell hard liquor.


Article by The Star Online
Tuesday, 24 Nov 2020
By JO TIMBUONG