TAIPEI: Taiwan plans to invite US military experts to visit to provide advice on bolstering the island’s defences, the defence ministry said on Monday, in the face of what Taipei views as a growing threat from its giant neighbour China.

Democratic Taiwan is claimed by China as part of its territory.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, and has stepped up military activity around the island, including sailing an aircraft carrier group through the Taiwan Strait last month.

Like most countries, the United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself and is its most important arms supplier.

In a brief statement, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said it plans to use the “arms purchase contract model to invite a US expert group to come to Taiwan”.

The ministry “hopes to use the US military’s practical experience to provide a reference for the national armed forces’ construction and war preparations”.

“This case is a Taiwan-US military exchange and cooperation plan, which will help consolidate and deepen the security partnership between the two sides and further ensure peace and stability in the region,” it said.

The ministry gave no other details, and did not specifically mention China, though the country is Taiwan’s only real military threat.

The Trump administration has been stepping up its support for Taiwan, including approving US$10 billion in arms sales this year, despite strong Chinese opposition.

China, already locked in a trade war with the United States, regularly calls Taiwan the most sensitive and important issue in the Sino-US relationship.

Brent Christensen, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, said last month that strengthening security ties was one of his priorities.

While Taiwan’s military is well armed and well trained, China’s armed forces have long since gained the upper hand, with new missiles, stealth fighters, aircraft carriers and submarines coming into service at a steady rate.

Most military experts believe Taiwan would only last a few days in a war with China, unless the United States came quickly to its aid, mobilising its substantial forces in nearby Japan and maybe also South Korea.

KUALA LUMPUR: A new version of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission 2019 Bill will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow with 37 changes made by a parliamentary special select committee

The bill, containing 13 additions and 24 amendments, will be tabled by the committee’s chairman, Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) for debate before it enters the committee stage.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Liew Vui Kong, told reporters at Parliament House: “Tomorrow, Ramkarpal Singh will take the motion to the Dewan Rakyat sitting and if it is accepted by the Speaker, the bill will be open for debate.

“After the debate, and if it is accepted by the Dewan, Ramkarpal will wrap-up and if the decision is positive to accept it, then I on behalf of the government will accept the motion and continue with the clauses,” he said at the Parliament lobby today.

He added this was the first time that the chairman of a parliamentary select committee was tabling and wrapping-up a Bill. ” It’s like he will be a minister for a day, and this is the first time it is happening in Malaysia,” said Liew.

The legislative process is usually carried out by the Minister or Deputy Minister concerned. However, it was the first time a bill had been referred to the parliamentary special select committee for the consideration of bills which itself is a new committee.

Liew hoped that more MPs would debate the bill to ensure that the views of the people are heard.

Last October, the IPCMC 2019 Bill was referred to the committee to be discussed more thoroughly before it is brought to the Dewan Rakyat for debate. The decision was made by the Speaker, Mohamad Arif Md Yusof.

The bill was first tabled on July 18. The new commission is intended to replace the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) to improve the integrity and capabilities of the Royal Malaysia Police.

The IPCMC will act as an independent monitoring body to receive complaints and conduct investigations on the misconduct of the police force.

SETIA ALAM, Dec 2 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) founder and chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reprimanded some party members and leaders who are self-centered and place their own ambitions ahead of the party’s needs and agenda.

Speaking at the youth wing Armada’s fundraiser tonight, Dr Mahathir observed that there are those who do not want their positions in the party challenged and have resorted to attempts to eliminate and oust fellow party members.

He noted that this led to the catastrophic defeat during the Tanjung Piai by-election which saw PPBM candidate Karmaine Sardini wiped out by his Barisan Nasional (BN) counterpart Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng.

“The adults (in the main party) may not think as idealistic as the youth wing or Srikandi (women’s wing) because they are more interested in their personal standing in the party. They don’t want to be challenged by anyone.

“Therefore, they don’t want to have a lot of numbers because this way they can obtain opportunities for themselves without any challenges. But as we saw in the Tanjung Piai by-election, we suffered a devastating loss because we didn’t have enough workers on the ground.

“This is because we have very few party members. It was the same with the Semenyih by-election. We lost because we lack workers, we lack members,” said Dr Mahathir.

He pointed out that if party members were more selfless and were willing to place the party above their own personal needs and ambitions, their hard work will pay off when the party becomes successful.

However, if they were to place personal ambition above the needs of the party, the party will face defeat.

Dr Mahathir said he hoped this mentality will be erased from his party.

SETIA ALAM, Dec 2 — Armada chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said it was difficult for the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) youth wing to collect even RM5 million in one year — admitting that it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Speaking at PPBM’s youth wing’s fundraiser tonight, Syed Saddiq contrasted this with rival parties Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).

“A few months ago Umno and BN sold shares from three companies in Malaysia. That sale generated more than RM2 billion for them. They are the Opposition but they are still billionaires.

“This does not include their assets and nominees in companies that still contribute hundreds of millions to their party.

“In Bersatu, to raise RM5 million takes more than one year. This doesn’t mean we should swindle or steal. It is our responsibility to raise funds for the party but never use our individual accounts.

“In Malay politics especially, to engage and approach the public and solve their problems and take care of their welfare we must make sure we have strong and sufficient funds not just at the national level but also at the division level.

“We must do something concerted and strategic,” said the youth and sports minister at the wing’s third fundraiser since its inception.

He said that donations received by Armada will go towards improving the social-economic welfare and education of B40 groups nationwide.

Syed Saddiq plans on spending some of the funds he received tonight to conduct Tuisyen Rakyat (public tuition) programmes targeted at B40 students.

20 students in 100 specially selected areas will receive tuition for mathematics and English, with each Armada division receiving RM5,000 for this effort.

He said that this will cost the wing RM1 million and will impact 2,000 Malaysian students nationwide.

Later, in his officiating speech, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad added his two cents, saying that with a membership of 100,000 strong, the wing can actually afford to fund itself and assist the party.

“RM1 can get you nothing. RM100,000 can get you a lot of things. If Armada members-only donate RM1 a month to the party, our party can become very strong. We will not need to rely too much on external funders.

“With this, we can censure anyone without fear or favour. That is true freedom,” said Dr Mahathir.

By the end of the night, the fundraising dinner raised RM5.12 million, five times the targeted RM1 million figure.

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Dec 1 — To avoid being fined by the National Registration Department for losing his identity card (MyKad), a factory worker here went to the extent of claiming to the police that he was robbed.

Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district police chief ACP Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said the 21-year-old man lodged a police report claiming that he was robbed at about 9.30 pm yesterday while pushing his motorcycle that had sustained a flat tyre.

“The suspect claimed two men on a motorcycle approached him on the pretext of asking about his motorcycle’s condition before one of them snatched the sling bag that was kept in the basket.

“The factory worker said during a struggle, the bag, which contained a wallet and some money, tore before the robbers rode off with it,” Nik Ros said.

Police found his statements to be inconsistent and upon further questioning, the suspect confessed to lodging a false police report as he had lost his MyKad for a second time.

“He lodged the false report to avoid being fined. The case is being investigated under Section 182 of the Penal Code,” Nik Ros Azhan said. — Bernama