The Defence Ministry will build an arms excellence centre costing RM60 million in Kampung Bukit Cempedak Bintang, Kuala Chini, said Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said construction of the Tropical Testing Center project in the Penyor subdistrict was approved several years earlier during the BN administration and it was not related to the ongoing Chini by-election now.

He said the project was divided into two sections with RM40 million for the cost of construction and RM20 million for equipment.

“We are in the process of tendering,” he said when met after a goodwill programme with Malaysian Armed Forces veterans in Chini at Bandar Dara Chini today.

Also present were Pekan MP Najib Razak, Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV) director-general Major General Dzulkarnain Ahmad and BN's candidate for the Chini by-election, Mohd Sharim Md Zain.

Commenting further, Ismail Sabri said the purpose of building the arms excellence centre was to carry out tests based on local weather for weapons, vehicles, and military equipment acquired by his ministry.

“It was approved not because of the by-election. I am merely announcing the status of the project. The people here are aware of the project and the matter had been announced before.

“Now that its budget has been obtained, it is currently in the tender process, when it is closing (the tender), and when we are awarding the tender and the start of work,” he said.

He, however, did not explain when the project is expected to commence.

- Bernama

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