KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — The country’s air defence capability through the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base in Labuan will be enhanced with the plan to replace long-range air defence radar which is to be sponsored by the government of the United States, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz said the sponsorship was made possible by the strategic Building Partner Capacity programme.

Apart from radar replacement, he said several other initiatives under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) were being implemented and planned to upgrade the base.

This includes allocating RM63.3 million for the construction of 97 houses for military families, which will begin next year, RM9 million for slope repairs and RM25 million for dispersal and taxiway resurfacing works.

A sum of RM10 million has also been allocated for the construction of new buildings and another RM12 million for the implementation of base security projects, such as perimeter fence, closed-circuit camera and watchtower.

"InsyaAllah, with the implementation of these programmes, the Ministry of Defence is confident that the Labuan airbase will remain strong and capable of facing any form of threats from outside,” he said in reply to Datuk Rosman Isli (Warisan-Labuan) who wanted to know the government’s plan to upgrade Labuan RMAF base.

Meanwhile, Ikmal Hisham said in strengthening security control in Sabah, the government planned to add another army brigade for remote areas.

He said, under the 12MP, the government planned to strengthen maritime defence with the procurement of new assets, including eight littoral mission ships and 13 fast interceptor craft.

In the aspect of wellbeing, he said under the five-year plan, the government also planned to build 10,200 units of houses for military personnel and upgrade the Terendak Camp Hospital. — Bernama