KUDAT: The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) held the Defence Awareness Tour Programme in Pulau Banggi to strengthen the community’s defence literacy in an area with high geostrategic value to the national security landscape.
Mindef, in a statement Friday, mentioned that the three-day programme which started on Wednesday (July 22) was carried out through the Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security (Midas), under the leadership of its Chief Executive Rear Admiral Datuk Yusne Mokhtar.
According to Mindef, the selection of Pulau Banggi is highly significant given its position as the largest island in Malaysia, as well as its location at the northernmost border of Sabah, adjacent to the maritime waters of the Philippines.
“Among the main components of the programme is the organisation of a townhall session themed ‘Sovereignty of Pulau Banggi: Empowering Border Communities, Safeguarding National Sovereignty’ to strengthen the Whole of Government and Whole of Society (WoGoS) approach,” it said.
The two-way dialogue brought together various enforcement and public agencies, including the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), the Malaysian Volunteer Corps Department (Rela) and the Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK).
To strengthen family and educational institutions, the programme, with the theme “Defence Talk Begins at Home” was also held with the participation of 290 parents and students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Banggi.
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A total of 100 students, aged between five and 12 years, from SK Lok Tohog was introduced to the “Program Misi Cilik: Sayangi Negara”, which uses an interactive approach to instil a sense of patriotism from an early age.
To conclude the tour programme, the film Paskal was screened for the students of SMK Banggi and local residents as an effort to convey the message of defence awareness through an educational entertainment medium.
According to Mindef, overall, the organisation of the outreach programme not only succeeded in the WoGos framework but also directly strengthened the elements of Civil-Military Cooperation (Cimic).
“This initiative aligns with the country’s strategic direction as supported by the Defence White Paper (DWP), which is committed to building community resilience and elevating the people as strategic defence partners for the continuity of the nation’s sovereignty,” according to the statement.
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