SUBANG, Jan 25 — Tawau is not a transit point for Daesh militants to infiltrate into southern Philippines, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said in today’s world without borders, terrorist movement could be from anywhere in the world and it was not necessary to have transit centres in any country.

"It’s not true, I don’t think (Tawau is a transit centre)...because the whole world can serve as transit points for Daesh terrorists.

"This is now a borderless world and when there are no borders, we do not require any transit point,” he told reporters after launching a 2017 Defence Ministry retreat here today.

Also present was Armed Forces Chief Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.

According to Hishammuddin, the defence ministry would continue making the fight against Daesh as its priority, in collaboration with several other major powers.

"The way to handle Daesh calls for the cooperation of various parties...our relations with Saudi Arabia, United States, China, Europe and France puts us in a strategic position to face Daesh,” he said.

On the need for the Malaysian Armed Forces to acquire new assets such as the multi-role fighter aircraft, multi-role support ship and offshore combat ship, Hishammuddin said these were necessary to complete the country’s defence.

"Like it or not, we need these new assets, we will announce it to the public but this will all depend on the economic situation in the country, as well as the world’s economy,” he added.

Commenting on the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2017 exhibition, Hishammuddin said preparations were going according to plan and hopefully, this would be the best exhibition ever organised. — Bernama