Malaysia Wants More Integrated ASEAN Defence Cooperation With Japan

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has called for more integrated, flexible, and responsive ASEAN defence cooperation with Japan and other dialogue partners to address increasingly complex regional security challenges, including cyberthreats, climate change and emerging technologies.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the sixth cycle of the Experts’ Working Groups (EWGs), under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), presented an opportunity to make regional defence cooperation more focused and effective.

He said ASEAN should prioritise greater flexibility in existing cooperation mechanisms rather than continually introducing new initiatives that could overstretch member states’ resources and capabilities.

“What we need is greater flexibility in how we work, rather than constantly expanding what we are expected to do,” he said in his remarks at the ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Cebu, the Philippines, today.

Also present were Japan’s Defence Minister Koizumi Shinjiro and other ASEAN defence ministers.

The text of his speech was made available to Bernama.

Mohamed Khaled said emerging challenges such as climate change, cyberthreats, and artificial intelligence cut across traditional security domains and should be addressed through existing mechanisms wherever possible.

He cited the integration of climate-related security risks into humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and maritime security activities, as well as addressing emerging technologies through relevant exercises and technical exchanges.

He also called for stronger cooperation across different EWGs, noting that interconnected security challenges required a more coordinated approach.

Mohamed Khaled cited Exercise Trident Resolve, the first combined Field Training Exercise involving the HADR, Military Medicine and Cybersecurity EWGs held this year, as an example of how different areas of expertise could be brought together to address complex crises.

“Future exercises should incorporate more realistic and interconnected scenarios to strengthen interoperability and collective preparedness while making better use of existing expertise and resources,” he said.

On cooperation with external partners, Mohamed Khaled said Malaysia remained open to broader practical engagement that could add value to ASEAN’s defence cooperation, including through the ADMM-Plus EWG Observership Programme.

He said the programme could be enhanced through more structured exchanges, opportunities for observers to share relevant expertise and participation in post-exercise discussions and evaluations, where appropriate.

However, he stressed that greater engagement must be accompanied by stronger ASEAN ownership, with decisions on partners, cooperation arrangements and priorities guided by collective decisions and consensus.

Mohamed Khaled said Japan’s experience, technological expertise and capabilities could contribute significantly to ASEAN’s defence development through specialised training, technology transfer and practical capacity-building initiatives.

He welcomed Japan’s continued support in disaster response, maritime security, cyber resilience and emerging technologies, particularly in areas where ASEAN required additional assistance.

“Our objective should be to strengthen ASEAN’s own capabilities and resilience, rather than create long-term dependence on external assistance,” he also said.

Mohamed Khaled added that Malaysia looked forward to working closely with Japan and other ADMM--Plus partners to ensure regional defence cooperation remained relevant and responsive to evolving security needs.

-- BERNAMA