KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) continues to prioritise defence diplomacy as a strategic approach to navigating regional geopolitical dynamics, guided by the principle of ASEAN Centrality and a policy of non-alignment with any particular bloc.
Chief of Defence Forces General Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman said the approach was crucial to ensuring the country’s interests and sovereignty remained paramount, while creating avenues to address security issues through negotiations rather than allowing them to escalate into physical conflict.
“The MAF consistently upholds the principle of ASEAN Centrality by strengthening diplomatic ties through strategic engagement at the highest leadership levels,” he said in a special interview in conjunction with the MAF’s 93rd anniversary celebrations here.
He said the commitment was reflected in a series of meetings and official visits to neighbouring countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand and Cambodia.
“Our principle is also one of non-alignment with any bloc. Instead, we act as a cooperative partner to all nations through various joint military exercises with the United States, China, Japan, Australia and others,” he added.
Malek Razak said the MAF’s participation in the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) remained an important platform for defence diplomacy, fostering trust and strengthening cooperation among member countries.
He said Malaysia did not merely participate in international security discussions but also played a proactive role by providing platforms for sharing expertise with other countries.
“This is evidenced by Malaysia hosting the recent Military Law and Operations (MILOPS) 2026 conference, which successfully brought together more than 200 security participants from over 30 countries.
“We will utilise this diplomacy to the fullest extent possible, as our goal is to prevent the outbreak of any physical conflict. If there are issues, we resolve them at the negotiating table,” he said.
Malek Razak said a consultative approach was crucial given the region’s geography, particularly the vast South China Sea and overlapping claims involving sensitive areas.
He said security challenges were becoming increasingly complex due to ‘grey zone’ threats, which could not necessarily be addressed through traditional military approaches.
-- BERNAMA