PHNOM PENH (Bernama): Malaysia and Cambodia are looking to further strengthen defence cooperation, with both countries exploring new areas of collaboration during Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin's official visit to Phnom Penh.
Mohamed Khaled said his trip to Cambodia aimed to deepen bilateral defence ties while reinforcing ASEAN's collective security architecture.
"The visit reflects the close relations between Malaysia and Cambodia. Cambodia, like Malaysia, is an ASEAN member, and we believe ASEAN's strength is built on strong relationships among its member states,” Mohamed Khaled told Bernama in Phnom Penh today.
During his visit, the minister held talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Tea Seiha on ways to expand defence cooperation.
The two sides discussed a broad range of initiatives, including a Memorandum of Understanding on defence collaboration, which Mohamed Khaled said is expected to be signed later this year.
"There should be continuous efforts to strengthen cooperation in the defence sector, not only for the benefit of our two countries but also in response to the evolving security challenges facing the region.
"There are many areas where we can work together, particularly in military technical cooperation, humanitarian assistance, military medicine, maritime security and search-and-rescue operations,” he said.
These initiatives come as ASEAN countries face an expanding range of non-traditional security threats, many of which cannot be addressed by individual nations acting alone.
Cybercrime, cyber warfare, transnational crime, maritime security, energy security, natural disasters and supply chain disruptions increasingly transcend national borders, making closer defence cooperation and intelligence sharing among ASEAN members more important than ever, he said.
For Cambodia and Malaysia, strengthening defence ties is therefore not only about enhancing bilateral military relations but also about contributing to a more resilient ASEAN that is capable of responding collectively to regional security challenges, Mohamed Khalid said.
Before arriving in Phnom Penh, Mohamed Khaled made a two-day visit to Vietnam on Wednesday, where he held similar talks with the country's top leaders.
He arrived in Phnom Penh on Thursday for a two-day official visit to Cambodia, his first visit as Defence Minister. -- BERNAMA
