SINGAPORE, May 31 — Malaysia will consider procuring weaponry from countries willing to share and transfer their technologies, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said that as a neutral nation, Malaysia has been procuring its military equipment from many countries before, so long as terms and conditions are trust based.
“When we do our procurement, we look into countries that can really transfer their technology to us, countries that are willing to not only make us as their customers but look to us as partners… Partners in the sense that they are willing to support our policy, and one of our new policies is to be able to be self-reliant to support our local defence industry,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) yesterday.
He said Malaysia has benefited from transfers of technology from friendly countries that want to see Malaysia become a force in the region.
Meanwhile, Khaled said he would meet his Norwegian counterpart Tore O. Sandvik, in a bilateral meeting this morning, during which he will convey Malaysia’s disappointment over Oslo’s cancellation of export licences for a missile system intended for Malaysia.
“I will tell him of our displeasure and disappointment for a country like Norway to do such a thing,” he added.
In response to United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s call for allied countries to boost their defence spending instead of relying on the US, Khaled said Malaysia would keep charting its defence policy based on its own priorities and pace.
“We take note of the US policies and views; it is a fair request. I believe every country has every right to express their policies as well as their views.
“As a nation, we must be able to protect and defend ourselves rather than relying or giving to other countries to defend and help us,” Khaled added.
