Malaysian Army Set to Strike

Malaysia’s military is fighting a formidable foe – termites.

Many of Malaysia’s 80 army bases are believed to be plagued by the pests, forcing authorities to assign special officers to tackle the problem, newspapers reported Saturday.

“There are several problems with our camps, like old age and wear and tear. But the biggest problem are the termites,” the New Straits Times quoted Deputy Defense Minister Zainal Abidin Zin as saying while visiting a naval base Friday in eastern Malaysia.

“These termites are like guerrillas inflicting damage on our facilities,” Zainal was quoted as saying by The Star. “There are more termites than members of the force.”

Officials have “found the termites not only attacking the wood but also the concrete sections of buildings,” the minister said, according to The Star.

A ministry panel will appoint personnel to pinpoint which camps are afflicted and take steps to curb the menace, the reports quoted Zainal as saying.

Calls to Zainal’s office seeking comment went unanswered Saturday.

Source: Wral