DATE=7/4/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=MALAYSIA-ARMS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264038
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A firefight has taken place in Malaysia between
army troops and a gang of munitions thieves. There were no
immediate reports of casualties or arrests in the morning
confrontation, but two local residents were reportedly
taken hostage. As VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports,
the weapons theft has been a major embarrassment to the
government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
TEXT: Malaysian soldiers fought a 90-minute gun battle in
the dense jungles of northern Malaysia early Tuesday with a
group of thieves who earlier pulled off a daring weapons
raid.
The armed encounter erupted in a heavily forested area of
Perak state during a search for the men who made off with a
major haul of weapons from two army bases Sunday. The area
was about 70 kilometers from one of the bases where the
arms were stolen.
Authorities released no other information about the
firefight.
On Sunday, 15 men, impersonating senior military officers,
bluffed their way into two army camps on the pretext of
making a surprise security inspection. Once inside, they
seized more than 100 automatic assault rifles, machine
guns, grenade launchers, ammunition, and mortars.
The theft, involving a major security breach, was a deep
embarrassment to the government. Local newspapers, normally
uncritical of the government, said the country's military
as well as the defense minister, Najib Tun Razak, should he
held accountable for the incident.
Authorities have been tightlipped. Defense Minister Najib,
on a visit to Singapore, refused to answer questions about
the theft.
Under such official silence, it is not known if the thieves
were motivated by politics or profit. However, there is no
active insurgency in Malaysia, leaving some analysts to
believe the arms are destined for sale outside the country.
(signed)
NEB/HK/GPT/JO
04-Jul-2000 06:33 AM EDT (04-Jul-2000 1033 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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