KL denies arms race with Singapore

KL denies arms race with Singapore

MALAYSIA: Malaysia denied on Tuesday that it was embroiled in an
arms race with neighboring Singapore, describing military
cooperation as good despite political hiccups, the official
Bernama news agency reported.

The comments were made by Defense Minister Najib Razak after a
meeting with his newly-appointed Singaporean counterpart Teo Chee
Hean.

Malaysia last month signed an agreement with Russia for the
supply of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MK fighter jets, the latest acquisition
in an arms spending spree that has included three French
submarines, British and Russian missile systems and attack tanks
from Poland.

A number of political irritants, including disputes over water
supplies, a new bridge linking the countries, the use of
Malaysian airspace by Singaporean aircraft and ownership of a
rocky islet, have dogged the neighbors since Singapore left the
Malaysian Federation and gained independence in 1965. --AFP