Malaysia To Replace All Its Military Four-Wheeled Drives

BY JAMALUDDIN MUHAMMAD BANGKOK, March 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will replace all its ageing military four-wheeled drives beginning next June, Malaysian Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Monday. He said Malaysia would procure the vehicles from Thailand, produced by a Malaysian company, Weststar Group, based in Pattaya. "The existing 4x4 used by the three services are obsolete and no longer cost-effective to maintain," he told Malaysian media after meeting with his Thai counterpart Sukumpol Suwanatat, here. Both leaders were attending the Defense and Security 2012, a tri-service Asian Defense and Internal Security Event for Land, Sea and Air, at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, here. Dr Ahmad Zahid said the priority of the new 4WD programme would be the usage of Malaysian components including for its spare parts. However, he refused to provide details on the number of vehicles to be replaced and its cost. Dr Ahmad Zahid said Weststar had also supplied the vehicles for military use in the United States, some NATO members, Singapore and Thailand. Weststar Group with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur is led by Group Managing Director Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim and its core businesses include defence, engineering, aviation services, automobile and construction. Dr Ahmad Zahid said Weststar had also supplied specialised vehicles such as ambulances to the Malaysian government. More than 200 defence and internal security equipment manufacturers from 35 countries participated in the four-day event starting Monday, March 5. -- BERNAMA