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Malaysian National News Agency - BernamaMarch 16, 2006 15:32 PMMINDEF Probe Into Unidentified Aircraft Over JohorBUKIT TINGGI (Pahang), March 16 (Bernama) -- The Defence Ministry is investigating the reported circling of an unidentified aircraft in the airspace above Johor's Gelang Patah, hardly 500 metres from the state's border with Singapore.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is Defence Minister, said ministry officials were interviewing a person who had snapped a picture of the aircraft to learn where he was when he took the picture so that it could be ascertained whether the aircraft was in Malaysian airspace then.
Asked whether it could be a Singaporean aircraft, he said: "We cannot assume but I suppose the chances are that it was. However, I will reserve my comments until that is verified."Bernama reported yesterday that people from several villages in Gelang Patah were at their wits end over the din caused by an aircraft circling above.
According to a resident of Kampung Tebing Runtoh, the drone of the aircraft could be heard daily up to late into the night.
Using a high-powered lens, a Bernama photographer managed to take a picture of what seemed to be a grey-coloured aircraft.
Najib said Malaysia knew of things like this but "if the aircraft is small, it requires keen observation by individuals or members of the public".
"We will monitor. We always monitor," he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at a closed-door seminar attended by senior army officers at De Colmar Tropicale Resort, here.
In his speech, Najib said the army's capability should be enhanced further, particularly its readiness to meet current demands.
He said the army's development would take into account rapid changes in the surrounding environment and its existing capabilities.
-- BERNAMA