Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today refuted allegations made by certain quarters who questioned the ability of Weststar Group to supply military four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles for the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).

He said there was no reason to question the purchase of the vehicles because they were the products of a Malaysian company which also being used by foreign countries.

"Apart from Malaysia, other countries like the United States, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia have also used military vehicles produced by Weststar," he told reporters after visiting the Malaysian Cocoa Board's cocoa research and development centre in Bagan Datoh.

He said the government decided to purchase the vehicles as the cost of spare parts for the existing 4WD vehicles was three times more expensive than buying the new ones.

The minister said the use of the new military 4WD vehicles would save the government about two third of the cost of maintenance and repairs.

"I've talked with Weststar Group managing director Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim to have local components be used in the vehicles and to carry out repair and spare-part replacement training when the vehicles are used by the ATM," he said.

After meeting with his counterpart from Thailand, Sukumpol Suwanatat, in Bangkok last Monday, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia would replace all of its obsolete military 4WD vehicles starting June this year.

He said Malaysia would acquire the vehicles from Thailand as they were produced by Weststar Group, based in Pattaya.

- Bernama