Ex-army leader calls for wider consultation

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday 15th February, 2013

A FORMER defence force commander says the government should consult widely on the defence white paper before making public its plans.
Retired Brig-Gen Anthony Huai was responding to comments by Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok on development plans for the force.
“While it is the prerogative of the minister as the political head of the defence ministry and chairman of the defence council, he must exercise restraint and adhere to the protocols of the institution,” he said.
Pok had told parliament of plans to increase the strength of the defence force by 10,000 over the next 10 years.
He said the force had been downsized from 4,000 to 1,900 under an Australian funding reform in 2002. The government planned to recruit about 1,000 men and women each year for the next 10 years.
Pok said the government had approved the purchase of new patrol vessels, aircraft and firearms.