KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s anti-drone capabilities will be strengthened with the deployment of a Japanese-made counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) worth RM40mil, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).
The Defence Minister said the system would be deployed at several strategic locations to strengthen the country’s ability to safeguard its waters, including the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea, amid overlapping territorial claims and tensions among major powers.
“We are facing a different geopolitical situation, and we are in a region with significant challenges.
“As a maritime nation, we must safeguard not only our land but also our entire maritime domain. We must be prepared,” he said at a press conference after the opening ceremony of the 100th National General Assembly of Armed Forces Veterans Association yesterday.
The C-UAS is part of Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme, following an agreement signed by Mohamed Khaled and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi during his recent working visit to Japan.
The system is designed to detect, track, identify and neutralise unauthorised or hostile drones.
“Japan recently announced the allocation for the system during my recent working visit.
“It will be placed at several locations, including Sepanggar and Labuan,” he added.
Mohamed Khaled said Malaysia had asked Japan to prioritise assistance in areas critical to the country’s security, particularly maritime safety and surveillance.
He noted that defence cooperation between Malaysia and Japan had gained momentum following changes to Japan’s defence policy, including the adoption of its 2022 security strategy.
He added that Japan had introduced the OSA programme to help partner countries develop their defence capabilities and contribute to regional peace and stability.
Mohamed Khaled said Malaysia had also urged Japan to continue the programme, which supports the development of defence capabilities among partner countries.
“We hope the OSA programme will continue as it is very helpful in building our capabilities,” he said, adding that Malaysia needed to work with trusted partners committed to helping the country strengthen its defence capabilities.
On a separate matter, Mohamed Khaled said the government had allocated RM304mil for military veterans, covering needs such as housing repairs, medical care and educational support for their children.
He added that the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association could help identify veterans in need to ensure assistance reached eligible recipients.
During his speech, Mohamed Khaled said the Defence Ministry had proposed establishing a National Veterans Day to honour the contributions of Armed Forces veterans.
He said the National Veterans Council had agreed to support the proposal, which would see an annual nationwide celebration, subject to Cabinet approval.
