Malaysia expected to spend $1.6 billion on defense KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Various Malaysian indigenous and foreign defense projects will reach $1.63 billion in 2012. Malaysian Defense Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government was committed to expanding the country's defense sector to not only provide for the country's armed forces needs but also to meet the increasing demand for military equipment in the region. Hamidi, after attending a meeting of the Malaysia Industry Council for Defense, Enforcement and Security, said, "This is especially so following the meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers in Cambodia last month, which decided to bolster cooperation in the defense industry among member states." Hamidi, the Bernama news agency reported, added that the government had recently approved the building of an industrial plant, an educational center and defense industry manufacturing facility in Perak, where the state government had approved the acquisition of land for the project.