KUALA LUMPUR: The 12th Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Ministers' Meeting (FDMM) held in Singapore on Friday (May 31) has been crucial in ensuring cooperation among the five member nations and strengthening international defence relations.
The Defence Ministry said in a statement that the meeting, attended for the first time by Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin since his appointment as Defence Minister in December 2023, aimed to enhance Malaysia's multi-directional defence cooperation in line with the pillars of the Strategic Partnership Strategy.
This strategy was outlined in the Defence White Paper, which places importance on international defence relations to ensure national security, regional stability, and global peace.
"The meeting discussed recent developments in FPDA activities, including the ‘Bersama Lima’ military exercise in October 2023 and ‘Exercise Bersama Shield’ conducted in April 2024. The meeting also discussed strategies to enhance the professionalism of FPDA exercises,” the statement said.
Additionally, the FDMM launched the official FPDA website to provide public exposure to the establishment's history, the 3RFPDA principles (Remit, Relevance, and Reassurance), and exercise activities to ensure the defence arrangements uphold regional sensitivities.
The FDMM was the highest-level meeting of the FPDA, alternately hosted by Malaysia and Singapore. Chaired by Singapore's Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen, it was attended by Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles, New Zealand's Defence Minister Judith Collins, and UK's Delegation Head Paul Wyatt.
Established in 1971, the FPDA is a defence arrangement comprising Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, aimed at developing defence capabilities through seminars, visits, courses, and military exercises.
Following the FDMM, the defence ministers of FPDA member nations paid a courtesy visit to Singapore's newly appointed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Istana before the FDMM officially concluded. – Bernama
