KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has no plans to set up a regional counter-intelligence centre together with China, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
He said the Defence Ministry is unaware of an alleged proposal by China to build the centre in Johor, which would supposedly be equipped with radar surveillance and a missile system.
“The ministry has no knowledge of it and furthermore, it has never been discussed in any forum,” said Hishammuddin.
The Sembrong Member of Parliament was responding to Parti Amanah Negara’s Khalid Samad who had asked the ministry to state its stand with regards to the proposal by China.
In August, Singapore's Straits Times quoted a government source as saying that the proposal was briefly discussed between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Chinese state councillor Wang Yong during the groundbreaking ceremony for the East Coast Rail Link project at Bandar Baru Kuantan, Pahang on Aug 9.
The report quoted the source as saying that discussions are ongoing and a firm decision would be reached when Najib meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at a later stage.
A local news portal had previously reported that China would allegedly offer Malaysia up to 12 units of the AR3 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) at the ceremony.
Citing sources, the news portal said the offer reflected a new peak in ties between Malaysia and China thanks to growing trade and investment which included defence procurements. -- Reporting by FERNANDO FONG, VEENA BABULAL and ARFA YUNUS