S.E Asia benefits from strong Malaysia, defense chief says

S.E Asia benefits from strong Malaysia, defense chief says

JAKARTA (JP): Malaysian Defense Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun
Razak defended his country's recent massive purchase of weapons,
saying that Southeast Asia benefits from a strong Malaysia.

Najib told a discussion yesterday that his country was not
indulging in an arms race.

"The purchase is simply made to replace the obsolete
technology of our weapons, and to contribute greater to regional
security," he said in a lecture entitled Southeast Asia: Towards
a Progressive and Dynamic Region at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS).

He explained that Malaysia was working towards an asset-based
army, and was being less dependent on a manpower-based security
approach.

"Since our population is not as large as Indonesia's, we
cannot rely on manpower for defense. Our considerable economic
growth has now enabled us to purchase new armaments, and this
will help us to lean more on this asset-based security."

However, he added, by complementing manpower and assets,
Indonesia and Malaysia can establish better security in the
region.

Most countries in Southeast Asia have been buying weapons in
large scale over the past few years creating the impression that
an arms race was going on. Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the
Philippines and Malaysia are among those which have added its
fleets of warships, fighter aircraft.

Malaysia's most recent acquisition includes missile frigates
from Britain and MiGs fighters from Russia.

Najib pointed out that collaboration between the two countries
in the field of defense research could be widely enhanced.

Southeast Asia, unlike other regions around the world was
"exceptionally peaceful and promises an optimistic future," he
said. "We all have a responsibility to maintain this condition,
which will lead to the prosperity of the people. Unity is
strength."

He indicated that military security should not sacrifice
social and economic aspects, but it should neither be neglected,
as the region was pursuing a comprehensive development.

"Indonesia-Malaysia relationship is the core of the stability
of the whole region. However, bilateral cooperation should go
beyond mere ethnic or sentimental reasons, and we should struggle
to reach a higher level of relationship by making it more
dynamic," he said.

Najib said this could be achieved through economic and trade
relations "which show a very encouraging trend since both
countries have the ambition to become fully developed,
industrialized nations."

The minister today is scheduled to sign a memorandum of
understanding with State Minister of Research and Technology B.J.
Habibie for the purchase of six CN-235 planes from IPTN, the
state aircraft manufacturer.

Under the deal, Indonesia will buy 20 light-weight MD-3 planes
and a number of Proton Saga limousines from Malaysia and
establish a Proton Saga assembling plant here.

East Timor

Later, during a press briefing, Najib said that his government
is fully behind Indonesia in its diplomatic row with the
Philippines over the latter's plan to host a conference on East
Timor.

Malaysia opposes any attempt by other countries to intervene
on the question of East timor, "which is now entirely within
Indonesia's sovereignty," he said. "We have always stood behind
Indonesia in this case. We view that East Timor is Indonesia's
right, and there should be no foreign interference at any level."

Indonesia has formally protested at Manila for allowing the
East Timor conference to take place later this month. Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said that the conference was nothing
but a platform for East Timorese who oppose the integration of
their homeland with Indonesia.

Najib said the Malaysian government would not send any
delegates to the meeting and would make maximum efforts to
prevent any groups from attending it.

"The United Nations seem to be attacking Asia on human rights
issues, but they have not even resolved the massacres in Rwanda
and Bosnia," he remarked.

Najib admitted, however, that it was the right of the
Philippines to hold the seminar, and his government could not
prevent that, "but Malaysia clearly disapproves any discussions
on East Timor," he stated. (pwn)