KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — The procurement of arms supplies required by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) will be determined by the relevant experts to avoid leakages.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said most asset procurement will be done through the Government-to-Government (G2G) approach involving the respective countries.

"Defence readiness will be further strengthened through the procurement of additional assets to modernise the MAF, which serves as a bastion of national security.

"The government has agreed to further strengthen defence preparedness by acquiring additional assets such as armoured vehicles, drones, littoral combat ships, helicopters and light combat aircraft,” he said when tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review (12MP) in Parliament today.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said strengthening national security and defence required that leaks in asset procurement be addressed immediately to ensure national defence preparedness.

In addition, Anwar said the government will optimise security controls at the country’s borders through several projects, including the upgrading of the operation control centre and the construction of a new base for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

"The government will also upgrade the maritime surveillance system and radar tower for remote sensing, upgrade and build the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex at selected points of entry,” he said.

A new MAF checkpoint will also be built along Sabah and Sarawak’s border with Indonesia as well as a Royal Malaysian Navy base in Bintulu, Sarawak.

Anwar also told the Dewan Rakyat that nearly 55,000 cybercrime cases involving losses worth RM1.8 billion were reported throughout 2021 until July this year.

Accordingly, the government will amend existing laws to increase the effectiveness of the fight against cybercrime, he said. — Bernama