KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry aims to achieve a 50:50 distribution of armed forces personnel between East and Peninsular Malaysia by increasing troop deployment in Sabah and Sarawak.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said more than 9,000 armed forces personnel were currently stationed in Sabah, with several measures being implemented to strengthen the state's defence capabilities.
"The government will continue to ensure Sabah's security by strengthening the military presence and enhancing the readiness of its personnel," he said in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna), who asked whether the number of military personnel and defence assets would be increased in view of security developments in the South China Sea.
