Malaysia eyes naval upgrades amid terror threat, South China Sea standoff

Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA is gunning for a revamp of its ageing naval fleet, as countries in the region prepare to face threats from the influx of Islamic State (IS) militants fleeing Mosul, and from rising tensions in the South China Sea.

Defence spending in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to hit US$250 billion from 2016-20, IHS Janes Defence Weekly said in December, and Malaysia intends to improve on its capabilities alongside other states in the hotly contested South China Sea, even as its defence budget narrows.