KUALA LUMPUR: Issues involving the South China Sea should not be allowed to divide Asean member states, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said disputes, such as those involving territorial claims, should not undermine decades of efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.
“Asean’s unity and stability must be preserved amid intensifying strategic competition, uncertainty and evolving security threats.
“The South China Sea remained one of the most significant tests of Asean’s unity, credibility and commitment to its founding principles,” he said in his opening remarks at the 20th Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Cebu, the Philippines, yesterday.
He acknowledged that several member states had overlapping maritime claims, with each having legitimate interests in safeguarding their sovereignty and territorial rights.
“However, disputes should not be allowed to divide the regional bloc or undermine decades of efforts to maintain peace.
“No dispute, however deeply rooted, should be allowed to fracture Asean or undermine the peace we have spent decades building,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled called on Asean to strengthen its regional disaster response capabilities, improve coordination and ensure its armed forces were ready to respond swiftly and effectively when disasters struck.
He said the increasingly complex and interconnected threats facing the region required greater preparedness, stronger cooperation and sustained investment in capabilities that would benefit the people.
“No Asean member state, regardless of its resources, can address these challenges entirely on its own,” he added.
He proposed building on existing mechanisms, including the Asean Militaries Ready Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, to strengthen operational readiness and improve coordination among member states.
He cited Asean’s response to last year’s earthquake in Myanmar as an example of regional cooperation, with military assets deployed to disaster-hit areas.
Mohamed Khaled also stressed the importance of strengthening communities’ ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from disasters and other crises.
“We must also develop strong local and regional capacity to respond effectively,” he said, adding that resilience must be matched by continued prevention and preparedness.
As Asean marks the 20th anniversary of the ADMM, Mohamed Khaled said the regional bloc must move beyond traditional approaches to address emerging threats.
“We require greater collective preparedness, stronger coordination and sustained investment in capabilities that deliver tangible benefits to our people,” he said.
He added that the success of the ADMM should be measured not merely by the cooperation established among member states, but also by the security and resilience that such cooperation delivered.
Malaysia, he said, remained committed to strengthening the ADMM, upholding Asean centrality and building a more secure and resilient regional community.
