Malaysia and Indonesia signed a five-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to improve defence cooperation.

After the signing, Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto called the MoU a “breath of fresh air” for defence cooperation between the neighbours.

Hishammuddin said the MoU would expand defence cooperation between the countries.

The MoU’s five main points are defence information sharing, armed forces cooperation, officer exchange, training, education, and military exercises.

“The 50th anniversary of Malaysia-Indonesia border cooperation makes today’s meeting special.”

– Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein

The MoU also sought more bilateral dialogues and negotiations on strategic defence and military issues based on common interests, cooperation in defence science and technology, and defence industry cooperation.

“Prabowo and I will monitor the MoU’s implementation.

“We have also instructed the highest leadership of the (Defence) Ministry and the armed forces in Malaysia and Indonesia to improve communications and (meeting) frequency with their respective counterparts.”

The ministers co-chaired the 42nd General Border Committee Malaysia-Indonesia (GBC Malindo) meeting at Wisma Perwira at the Defence Ministry on Tuesday.

“The 50th anniversary of Malaysia-Indonesia border cooperation makes today’s meeting special. Security Arrangement 1972 created it.”

Hishammuddin said the two countries also agreed to focus on anti-terrorism.

He said the 2023 revival of the Malaysia-Indonesia Land, Sea, and Air Joint Training (Latgabma Malindo Darsasa) exercise would accomplish this.

“We acknowledge that the two countries’ defence cooperation over the years would have been difficult without their determination, ability, and unwavering spirit of togetherness.

“This is not just a ministerial agreement but, more importantly, its actual implementation on land, sea, and air by the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the Indonesian National Army (TNI).”

Hishammuddin said Tuesday’s meeting also focused on improving Sarawak-Kalimantan border defence and socio-economic development, especially since Indonesia moved its capital to Kalimantan.

Hishammuddin said the two ministers reached several important border security and defence agreements at this year’s GBC meeting.

“First, accelerate ATM and TNI assignments at existing and new joint posts (Gabma) in Malaysia and Indonesia with seven posts each.

“(Second is) reactivating coordinated land, sea and air patrols that have been suspended due to Covid-19 to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the security agencies of the two countries.

“(Third is) establishing cybersecurity cooperation under GBC Malindo, which aims to build cooperative relationships between Malaysian and Indonesian cyberagencies and explore new initiatives to preserve cyberdata security of both countries.”

Info source – News Straits Times