KUALA LUMPUR: The effectiveness of Budget 2027 allocations for the security and defence sectors should not be measured solely by expenditure, but by the level of operational readiness achieved, says an academician.
Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) senior lecturer in Defence Economics Nur Surayya Mohd Saudi said the combined allocation of RM44bil for the Home Ministry and the Defence Ministry represented a significant fiscal commitment.
However, she said the adequacy of the allocation should be assessed against the nature of modern threats, the scope of operations, the condition of existing assets and the capabilities ultimately delivered.
"The security threats facing the country today extend beyond conventional warfare to include transnational crime, maritime threats, cyberattacks, online fraud and geopolitical instability.
"From a defence economics perspective, the true measure is not how much is spent, but the level of security and preparedness delivered by every ringgit spent," the senior fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) told Bernama.
To ensure the allocations deliver the intended results, Nur Surayya outlined four priority areas: asset readiness, strategic modernisation, personnel welfare and the development of local defence technology.
She said existing assets required a reliable supply of spare parts and regular maintenance, while new acquisitions needed to be carefully planned throughout their lifecycle to ensure they remained operationally ready whenever the nation needed them.
On strategic modernisation, she welcomed the RM7.1bil allocation for asset procurement and maintenance, as well as investments in cyber capabilities, including the establishment of response centres and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Modernisation does not necessarily mean acquiring the most expensive platforms; what matters is whether they are suited to the threats faced, can be maintained effectively and are interoperable with existing assets," she said.
Nur Surayya also welcomed the government's allocation of RM2.3bil for the construction and maintenance of civil servants' quarters, as well as its decision to raise the minimum pension rate to RM1,350, describing both measures as important to safeguarding the well-being and morale of security personnel.
She added that every ringgit spent on defence procurement should also support technology transfer, research and the local manufacture of industrial components, enabling Malaysia to develop, integrate and maintain its own technologies.
Anwar, when tabling the 2027 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday (Oct 9), announced allocations of RM22bil each for the Home Ministry and the Defence Ministry. - Bernama
