Well said , a few skimish in Somalia does not constitute them as
a effective fighting force in large scale warfare. As the matter of
fact, there was a article written by a security analyst in the 90s
said that the SAF is the most potent & effective fighting force
in a large scale conventional warfare in SEA. Let me explain
further by going thru the history of SAF formation & training
as compare with the MAF.
In the late 60s & 70s , SAF was
forming various arms formation & developing expertise with
layered air defence, long range arty & a potent armour units,
all the pieces for a large scale conventional warfare.
Whereas, the MAF & all the regional armed forces were
concentrating on only on counter-insurgency operation, The MAF at
this moment did not develop a effective air defence(No AA missiles
& radar), no long range arty & certainly no
tanks.
During the 80s, SAF started to train
all the formations to fight effectively in a combined arms
exercises in the Starlight project where they have yearly Bde to
Div scale exercises. These exercises prepared the SAF to operate
& fight effectively in large scale conventional warfare in term
of logistic support, deployment & develop the synergy effective
of large scale combined arms operation.
At this time, the communist threat in MY was waning but the MAF
still did not have all the pieces for a effective combined arms
operation.The most they have some training in combined arms
operation in a very small scale as compare with the
SAF.
During the 90s the SAF started to form
combined arms Div instead of the previous separate command for all
the other arms. This created more synergy and much more effective
force. At this time the SAF also developing RMA with better C4ISR
so that the SAF is even more a potent force as compare with the
rest in the region.They are begining to develop a Rapid deployment
forces.
This time , MY had great plan to modernise the MAF so to develop a
effective combined arms but due to budget constraint & the
currency crisis ,the modernisation programmes did not materialise
especially for the army. Therefore the MAF has not develop a
combined arms capability in a large scale ,the most a few isolated
Bde level exercises.They have plans to develop a rapid deployment
forces & a combined armed Bde but the asset are not there
yet.
By now ,the SAF has not only fully
developed the Rapid deployment force, it is also the most advance
in the region in term of RMA. It is most developed armed forces in
term of capability and the most well trained in term of large scale
combined arms operation in Bde & Div level with two decades of
constant exercises.No other forces in the region can boost that.
The MAF has just getting some of the pieces for a effective
combined arms operations. For example better air defences, long
range arty etc. But even with all the pieces together, they still
lack of the expertise in term large scale combined arms operation
if they dun have a regular large scale exercises to develop
it.
Therefore in conclusion, one to one in large scale conventional
warfare, the MAF is way behind the SAF. And with the most develop
in RMA as compare to them, it tipped the scale even more. 
