Malaysia military unit exercise upsetting neighbors

Malaysia military unit exercise upsetting neighbors

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia will launch its new rapid deployment force today at the end of a high-profile week-long military exercise which has upset its neighbors, military sources and analysts said yesterday.

Military sources said Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand had privately expressed concern over the military exercise on the resort island of Langkawi over the past week.

"These governments are wondering about this exercise. Most military exercises are conducted discreetly but Malaysia has given this exercise a very high profile," a military source said.

The Malaysian Defense Ministry said the military exercise was intended to display the capabilities of its rapid deployment force (RDF) comprising air, sea and land units.

Exercise director Maj. Gen. Jelani Asmawi said the RDF demonstration was aimed at impressing upon Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad the armed forces' expanded capabilities.

"We aim to show our ability and readiness to defend Malaysia's interests," he told reporters in Langkawi on Saturday.

Mahathir is due to launch the RDF, which is mainly made up of the new 10th Parachute Brigade, in Langkawi on Monday.

But the source said Malaysia's neighbors were concerned about the RDF as the military exercise in Langkawi simulates the recapturing of an island occupied by "enemy forces."

The exercise involved paratroopers descending from transport planes recapturing Langkawi with the support of fighter-jets conducting "aerial bombing" and "artillery fire" from naval vessels anchored off the island coast.

"It seems a bit too real and serious to the neighbors," the source said.

Malaysia has territorial disputes with Indonesia over Sipadan and Ligitan islands off Borneo and a dispute with Singapore over Pedro Branca island off Malaysia's southern coast.

However, the three countries are using diplomatic channels to resolve the disputes.

Military analyst A.J. Bakhtiar said the Malaysian RDF is similar to the U.S. 101st Airborne Division which is a quick strike force for military operations.

"Malaysia has been talking about setting up the RDF for years and finally it has been set up. The RDF might upset Malaysia's neighbors but it is not a threat," he said.

Infancy

He said the RDF is still in its infancy and will have to depend on the Malaysian armed forces for troops and logistics until the government allocates a special budget for the force.

Bakhtiar said Malaysia's defense budget, which totals three percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), goes mainly to the three services which are being modernized.

"There isn't much for the RDF. The army wants new equipment and the navy is getting new patrol vessels. That's the priority now, not the RDF," he said.

Malaysia, along with its neighbors in the prosperous and fast- growing Southeast Asian region, started modernizing its armed forces with multi-billion dollar purchases of U.S. and Russian fighter-jets last year.

It purchased eight McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D fighter-jets and 18 Russian MiG-29s last year and is now buying armored vehicles for the army. It is planning to build 27 patrol vessels for the navy over the next 15 years.