(7 May 1997) English/Nat
Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has indicated that his country will buy attack helicopters from South Africa.
The deal would require the approval from the South African government.
He was speaking after receiving an award from Nelson Mandela - the Order of Good Hope.
The Malaysian Prime Minister was given a warm welcome on his arrival in Cape Town.,
After being greeted by an official reception committee he was driven to the Presidential Palace, in the shadow of Table Mountain.
There he was met by President Nelson Mandela, and awarded the Order of Good Hope - South Africa's highest award for a foreigner.
Afterwards, he spoke warmly about one of South Africa's latest weapons - an attack helicopter.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think our air force has evaluated the Rooivalk, and the chances are that we will decide to purchase the Rooivalk and make it our helicopter. Also to participate in the construction and production of the Rooivalk"
SUPER CAPTION: Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian Prime Minister
The two-seater Rooivalk helicopter is manufactured by the Denel Group. They claim that it uses the world's most advanced avionics, and competes with the popular U-S Apache. It has been in development since 1984.
After Mandela and the African National Congress swept to power in 1994, they continued to back the project.
The purchase of the helicopters by Malaysia would require the approval of the South African government.
But Mandela said earlier this year that the government would look favourably on the deal because he knew that Malaysia would only use the aircraft for defensive purposes.
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