Browse Items (1 total)

• TextMilitaryNational development...1 more

  The military as an integrating force in nation-building

  The military is an instrument that plays important roles and functions both during war and in peace time. During war, the role of the military is clear; to defend against the enemy attack or to recapture fallen territory. In peace time, the military train for war and to create a picture that the potential enemy will have a second thought to attack the country it is serving. The latter role is not very clear to the general public or the politicians, as such misunderstanding exists among non-intellectuals as to the role the military plays in nation building. Is ensuring national security part of nation building? Does nation building and national security be planned and executed independantly?
  
  Many scholars agree that security plays an important part in any nation's development process. Military is the force that can ensure security beside the police force and other agencies of the Home Affairs Ministry. Security will stabilise the country and subsequently nation building will come.
  
  Presently all countries have some form of military forces to defend the nation-states. Defense of nation state is the subset of national security. From the security provided by the military, Malaysia has achieved enormous success, in terms of political stability, economic prosperity and social cohesion. Military will continue to provide service as long as it is needed so as to allow Malaysia to strive forward and achieve the vision of turning her into a developed nation. While it aspires to be a developed nation, Malaysia does not neglect the need for national security for it is the foundation on which peace and prosperity is built.
  However, Malaysia's emphasis on deterrence through diplomacy though politically justified, did not by itself provide the means to guarantee national integrity and the preservation of its sovereignty. For deterrence to be credible, it must not only be seen in physical form but also in the sustained will, resilience of its people and the ability to mobilize in shortest possible time its economic, social, psychological and military power of nation to meet a threat.