Malaysia's military to get new weapons

Malaysia's military to get new weapons

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The Malaysian military will have more money next year to splurge on new howitzer guns, helicopters and boats, the country's defense minister has said.

The 7.3 billion ringgit (US$2 billion) annual defense budget for 2001 will allow the Southeast Asian nation to modernize its weaponry, Minister of Defense Najib Tun Razak said late on Saturday.

The budget was presented to parliament on Friday. The current year's defense allocation was six billion ringgit ($1.5 billion).

Upgrading military firepower is a priority, Najib said. The government will acquire 22 155mm howitzer guns from South Africa to begin with. In addition, the military is mulling the purchase of light helicopters to enable the army to widen reconnaissance operations.