Saturday, May 31, 2003
Malaysia opposed to US bases: Report
Agence France-Presse Kuala Lumpur, May 31
Predominantly Muslim Malaysia will not allow the United States to establish military bases in the country but is prepared to have other forms of defence co-operation with Washington, a report said on Saturday.
"This is a matter of pride and sovereignty. There is no need for such suggestions to be considered as we have an able and capable defence force," Najib Razak, defence minister was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.
Najib said this when asked to comment on a report that the Pentagon was planning a realignment of troops in Asia.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper reported on Thursday that the Pentagon was considering building new bases in Australia, Malaysia and neighbouring Singapore.
The United States has asked Australia to provide bases for US forces and aircraft as part of a plan to combat terrorism in Southeast Asia, The Australian newspaper reported on Thursday.
"We will not agree to this. But it does not mean we (US and Malaysia) cannot further develop bilateral defence relations outside this ambit," Najib said.
"Similar to the Five-Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA), we can also continue having (military) exercises with our US counterparts," he added. Australia, Britain, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore make up the FPDA, a 32-year-old group that acts as the bulwark for the defence of Singapore and Malaysia from external threats.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who was thanked by US President George W. Bush last year for his support in the anti-terror war after the September 2001 attacks in the US, said he still believed the invasion of Iraq was unwarranted and called for the United Nations to take a leading role in post-war Iraq.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2002. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission