KUALA LUMPUR: Norway's apology over its unilateral decision to cancel the export licence for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system has raised more questions for Malaysia, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said his Norwegian counterpart had apologised and explained the cancellation, but Malaysia remains doubtful.
"We are left questioning whether the reasons given are based on facts or merely excuses to justify the revocation," he told reporters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday (May 31).
Conveying Malaysia's concerns during a bilateral meeting, Mohamed Khaled said the abrupt move damaged long-standing ties and was incompatible with the conduct expected of a friendly nation.
He pointed out that the contract for the missile system was signed in 2018 for a scheduled 2026 delivery, yet Malaysia was only informed of the cancellation in February this year after a prolonged period of uncertainty.
"What is particularly disappointing is that there has been no effort by the Norwegian government to assist Malaysia in recovering the payments already made to the Norwegian company involved," he said, noting the situation arose purely from Oslo's own policy shift.
Mohamed Khaled stressed that Norway could demonstrate its commitment to bilateral relations by taking concrete steps to ensure Malaysia received a full or partial refund, or by assuming responsibility for recovering the funds directly from the manufacturer.
While the Norwegian Defence Minister promised to raise the matter with his government, Mohamed Khaled expressed deep scepticism over a satisfactory resolution.
"This incident will leave a permanent mark on Malaysia-Norway relations, and it is difficult to see the relationship returning to the way it was before," he said, adding that the episode serves as a lesson for Malaysia to be more cautious regarding the reliability of international partners.
He confirmed that Malaysia has already issued a letter of demand and is actively preparing legal action against the company involved.
"If Norway genuinely wishes to preserve good relations, it should prioritise reimbursing Malaysia and subsequently deal with its own company," he added.
