Two opposition leaders have expressed their reservations towards any plan for the United States to post any of its troops in Malaysia, as was suggested by US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz at a security conference in Singapore.

Keadilan president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali said they were fully supportive of Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak's remark yesterday that Malaysia would not entertain any suggestions for US bases to be set up in the country.

Terrorism bogey

In a joint press statement, the two leaders indicated the opposition towards the posting of American troops in the country has been made all the more important because of an already increased US military presence in the region.

"Singapore consistently supports US policies and US military presence in the region. In fact, government leaders in the republic were known to have been hoping that the US military base at Guantanamo Bay would be transferred to Singapore after it was closed.

"In the Philippines, US troops in significant numbers have (also been posted) to help in the fight against terrorism," said the two leaders.

"(While) we support the fight against terrorism, we resent the idea of it being used as an excuse by any government to suppress genuine democratic dissent or opposition," they added.

The debate over increased US military presence in the region was stirred up after a speech by Wolfowitz yesterday.

The senior official was quoted by the press as saying that his government was seeking out new allies for America's "evolving defence strategy".

Several media reports have further suggested that the US is considering a stronger military presence in the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Full disclosure please

To avoid further uncertainties over Malaysia's position, Wan Azizah and Syed Husin said the government should provide full details of the defence ties between Malaysia and the US to Parliament.

"During his last visit to the US, Najib held meetings and made a speech regarding very close military cooperations between Malaysia and the US. It appeared, at close scrutiny, that he was suggesting that cooperation could be further improved," they noted.

"The defence minister has always been shying away from disclosing the full contents of this agreement although he has been asked about it several times before. It is now very timely and incumbent upon Najib to make such disclosures."

British-American base?

In addition, the two leaders said the government should also explain further the commitments made by the government when it signed a defence agreement with the US in April 1984.

"We know that the agreement allows for regular military exercises, presence of US military personnel in the country, docking and servicing of US naval vessels in Malaysian ports, not excluding those carrying nuclear weapons.

"We wish to know, does it also provide for the possibility of establishing a US military base or bases in any part of the country?"

The two leaders pointed out that an idea for the establishment of a British base by the coast of Pahang and Johor had been mooted several years ago.

"Is this idea going to be revived? Perhaps with Britain and the US?" they questioned.

The issue of the posting of US troops in Malaysia has been raised several times over the past year, particularly after the government agreed to set up a joint anti-terrorism centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The idea was first raised by US Secretary of State Colin Powell during a high-level visit to Malaysia last July.

Since then, the government had repeatedly denied that there would be any placement of foreign troops in the country.