SE Asia's shopping spree for arms

SE Asia's shopping spree for arms

Sin Chew Daily, Asia News Network, Selangor, Malaysia

Malaysian government recently ordered some RM1.2 billion worth
of missile systems from UK and Russia, and additional three
submarines form France at an undisclosed price. Last month,
during his visit to Poland, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad also ordered 64 tanks and armored vehicles worth RM950
million. The military equipment together with related services
cost a total of RM1.14 billion. In addition, Defense Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also announced during his visit to
Russia last month that Malaysia would purchase 10 Mi-17 choppers
from that country.

In other words, within a short period of only one to two
months, we have spent billions of ringgit stockpiling
sophisticated military equipment and firearms and undergoing
large-scale modernization program without keeping the public
informed of the rationale for such purchases. This has not only
aroused the suspicion of our people, but also sparked anxiety
among our neighbors.

Besides Malaysia, other regional countries such as Singapore,
the Philippines and Vietnam have also made bookings for state-of-
the-art weapons. This sudden spurt of arms purchases has
initiated worries of an arms race in Southeast Asia.

Having gone through the depressing financial crisis and the
uncertainties that came with the Sept. 11 attacks on America,
regional economies have begun to show signs of recovery. Due to
improved purchasing power, regional countries have made generous
bookings for new weapons, including those with superior combat
capabilities. For instance, Singapore recently bought 20 units of
F-16c fighters and state-of-the-art medium range air-to-air
missiles in a bid to enhance its air combat capabilities. In
addition, Singapore also took orders of six Lafayette ocean
cruisers. Due to the recent row between Singapore and Malaysia on
a number of issues such as water supply and land reclamation, the
latest purchases have invariably triggered the prospect of a
regional arms race.

Other than these two countries, other ASEAN member states such
as Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines also joined in the race,
taking orders of U.S. and French fighters as well as new
generation Ukrainian warships, among others.

The Philippines, on the other hand, receives $100 million
military assistance from U.S. as it steps up its effort to wipe
out Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremists in the south.

From past experiences, the pattern of arms purchases in
Southeast Asia has been closely linked to the region's economic
development. The better the economy, the stronger the appetite
for sophisticated weapons.

While the regional economic outlook has definitely improved of
late, it has not reached a stage as to warrant any arms race. We
can safely say that the worries for a turbulent global situation
is the real cause behind all the rush.

From the outside, Southeast Asia looks perfectly peaceful and
calm. That is, nonetheless, not the real thing.

Since U.S. President George W Bush assumed the office early
last year, he has tried to befriend Southeast Asian countries in
a bid to counterbalance the rise of China, seriously tipping the
regional military equilibrium.

Due to this political concern, aggravated by the push by
Western arms suppliers, regional countries begin to grab up
weapons. While it is necessary for regional countries to step up
their defense capabilities, they must also guard against any
vicious arms race so as not to pose serious threat to the
security of the region in whole.