M.I.S. for Security

The application of information management is very vital in any security agency especially since the dawn of Information Age that bring new and more complex challenges to the need of security. In Malaysia, the latest Automaton Enforcement System (AES) is one of the method implemented by the Malaysian government to ensure the security in the road around Malaysia. However, I will not discuss any further about the AES because I am quite sure someone else will write about them. Instead, I will discuss about the application of M.I.S in the military and in particular is about the application by the Malaysian Armed Force or Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) .

ATM Logo (Source: Google)

I choose to discuss about this topic is mainly as a homage to the ATM for their success for entering the Final of Piala Malaysia (Malaysian Cup). Despite their lost to Kelantan in a close match of 3-2, I believe ATM can pull it off in the next season because they are very good in organizing strategy and managing information. Before I begin, I would like to state that some of the information that I am going to discuss will not be very specific because it involves a matter of national security and are considered as classified information. So, please understand that the content of this discussion is definitely not the true capabilities of ATM but just a hint of what ATM can do.

The Roles of ATM (Source: Kementerian Pertahanan Malaysia / MinDef)



Based from many sources on the Internet, ATM is said to operate a centralized Command & Control (C&C) System that combine its three services, Army (TD), Navy (TLDM) and the Air Force (TUDM). Although all of the three services have their own C&C but it will be linked through a centralized network system to the Wisma Pertahanan where the information will be managed by a classified system which is commonly known as Battlefield Management System (BMS) in order to help the process of decision making by government and the top military chiefs regarding any potential security or military activity. This system functioned almost like the Executive Support System (ESS) that are used by the corporate businesses but much more complex.

ATM Radar & Surveillance System (Source: MilitaryofMalaysia)

BMS is linked with several complementary systems that operate the functions such as surveillance, intelligence, logistic and weaponry. These system will be organized by the BMS to support an individual system in the battlefield or combat zone commonly known as Combat Support System (CSS) operated by the field commander. The main different between BMS and CSS is the person whom the information are for. BMS for example is for the commander-in-chief whom organizing the whole aspects of the operation while CSS in for the field commander whom is in the combat zone organizing the combat operation. It is almost like the relationship between ESS for the top managers while the Decision Support System (DSS) for the lower frontline managers.

Example of CSS (Source: Google)

CSS is very important for any military mission. This system will allows the commanders in the field to analyze the situation and report the information back to the headquarter quickly, accurately and most important secretly. All CSS must be equipped with the latest security application in order to avoid counter-intelligence by the enemy. Besides that, CSS also had one very important function which is to create 'Situational Awareness' in the battlefield.

Situational Awareness (Source: Google)

Situational Awareness is a term used by the military for a situation where the military unit has complete information on the surrounding pertaining the geographical landscape, weather condition and enemy position. This will allows the unit to act fast with the right strategy to accomplish the mission or objective given by the headquarter. One must not underestimates the important of Situational Awareness in the battlefield because the military cannot afford any mistake or uncertainty in any military operation as the stakes involve human lives and the national security interest.

"Strategy is an art of making use of time and space"

Napolean Bonaparte

Information Management?

I believe everybody knew what is information but now everybody know how to manage information. According to many historians, the method of systematically managing information can be traced back to many ancient civilizations such as Ancient Greek, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Chinese, Ancient Babylon and the Indus Civilization. However, maybe the most popular and well-known is the method of information management in Ancient Egypt. When people talked about Egypt, they will always picture the Pyramid but what most people don't know is that Pyramid is one of a tool used by the Ancient Egyptians to managed and stored information.

A Pyramid (Source: Google)

Don't be surprised that the drawings inside the Pyramid contained a lot of information and some of that information can even challenge our beliefs of how ancient people really live their life. Many scientists and archaeologists are stunted by how effective the Ancient Egyptians manage their information such as how the make beer or bread by systematically drawing them at the wall of the Pyramid. Today, modern people can accurately recreate the exact beer or bread with the same process used by the Ancient Egyptians. Please be noted that the method of producing Egyptians beer was lost for about 3000 years until the archaeologists managed to uncover the secret of Ancient Egyptian' hieroglyph language using the Rosetta Stone in the 19th Century.

Beer in Ancient Egypt (Source: Youtube)

While the Ancient Egyptians are popular for their method of using drawings to manage information, the Ancient Chinese are very popular for managing information such as the accounting information. This achievement is said to be driven by the invention of papers by the Chinese. The invention of paper has allow the Chinese to record and manage information easily with lower costs and smaller space for storing compared to the Ancient Egyptians. The lightweight of the paper has allow human to exchange information and manage information easily rather than by writing them in the wall of a building. This trend of exchanging and managing information is getting lighter and smaller especially since the dawn of Information Age.

Technological innovation has allow human to manage information even more effective and efficient than before. For example, human nowadays can just exchanging information virtually via Internet without even need to carry the information personally and if they do need to carry information, the information can be stored inside an USB or even into the person's phone where he/she can transfers the information via Bluetooth. Furthermore, technological advancement has also help human in managing complex information quicker and easier although it may require complex calculation or strategic long-term forecast that may involve millions or billions of data.

(Source: Google)



It is not even aggravate to state that the people in this modern society especially in the business society may not even survive without information technology. This is because technological innovation also bring new challenges into the modern society where it creates a very stiff competition for new innovation and sustainable operation. People especially in the business society nowadays depend upon information that are accurate and fast. This put a new responsibility for the organization to install an information management system in order to ease the information management process. However, the installation of the system does not guarantee success, the businesses themselves must learn on how to operate the system effectively in order to fully utilize the potential of information management.

"You better adapt to your surrounding or you may lose"

Thomas Edison