PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya has brushed off a news report of China's alleged proposal to set up a regional counter-intelligence centre in Johor.

In a parliamentary reply today, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the ministry does not plan to build such a counter-intelligence centre.

He was responding to Khalid Samad (Amanah-Shah Alam) who asked about the ministry's stand against China's bid to build the centre in Johor, which also includes surveillance radars and missile systems.

"This is not in the knowledge of the ministry, moreover it has never been discussed in any kind of forum," said Hishammuddin (BN-Sembrong).

"The ministry has no intention to build such centre," he added.

In August, Singapore's Straits Times quoted a government source as claiming that both Prime Minister Najib Razak and China state councillor Wang Yong had briefly touched on the proposal.

It was reported that a firm decision would be made only when Najib meets China President Xi Jinping, who was expected to make an official visit to Malaysia in November.