The government said today its plan to buy new weapons was designed to bolster its defence capability and not to attack Singapore or any other countries.

Defence Minister Najib Razak said Malaysia needed to upgrade its defence systems and equipments in tandem with the progress attained by the country.

"We are upgrading our military apparatus not because we want to aim at Singapore or any other country," Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

Najib said the government was upgrading its defence systems to protect the country from internal and external threats. He did not elaborate.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad last month announced that Malaysia would buy tanks from Poland, in a deal Polish officials said could be worth more than RM950 million.

During his recent visit to Russia, Mahathir said Malaysia was considering a deal to buy Russian military aircraft - the Sukhoi SU-30 fighter aircraft.

Russia announced last October it would export anti-tank missile systems to Malaysia under the terms of a partnership deal dating back to 1994, when Russia sold MiG-29 fighter jets to Malaysia.