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