NZ troops head to Malaysia

New Zealand Defence Force troops go to Malaysia next week for a simulated exercise with troops from Australia, Britain, Singapore and Malaysia.

Sixty-five New Zealand troops will take part in the week-long exercise, which will be played out to overcome a simulated threat.

NZDF commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Hugh McAslan said Exercise Suman Warrior 09 would involve up to 500 troops from the Five Power Defence Agreement nations (FPDA) - New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Britain and Singapore.

The exercise was an annual map-based activity between the FPDA nations, he said.

"It essentially puts the command and control functions of each nation to the test in a simulated environment," Lt Col McAslan said.

The FPDA began in 1971.

- NZPA