KL to borrow assault boats from Sweden

KL to borrow assault boats from Sweden

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia plans to borrow four assault boats
from Sweden to bolster defense in Sabah state on the northeastern
coast of Borneo island, its defense minister said on Monday.

Arrangements to take delivery of the boats were being
discussed with Sweden, Minister of Defense Najib Tun Razak was
quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.
"Before next year we can have four additional boats," he said.

Muslim separatists from neighboring Philippines intruded in
Malaysian waters off Sabah twice this year, whisking away 24
hostages, 21 of them foreign tourists.

Following an outcry over lax security, military operations in
the surrounding waters were heightened and the number of vessels
patrolling the area was tripled.

The military, he said, is already using two Swedish boats in
their current defense exercises.