Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has outlined three key priorities during the country’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.
Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin emphasised that the top priority is to prevent any escalation of tensions that can spark regional conflict.
The second priority is to position ASEAN as the leading platform for diplomacy in addressing and managing regional challenges.
Third, the country will use the ASEAN Year 2025 as an opportunity to enhance various training, cooperation, and defence diplomacy initiatives within the region, involving member countries, observer states, and other strategic partners of ASEAN.
In his New Year address, the minister said Malaysia officially assumed the role of ASEAN Chair on January 1, 2025, with the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, reflecting the country’s aspiration to create a united and prosperous ASEAN.
One of the main events of MINDEF this year is the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus, scheduled for November 17 - 21.
Khaled Nordin stated that in the context of global peace, Malaysia will continue its engagement in peacekeeping missions and human rights promotion under the auspices of international bodies such as the United Nations (UN).
At the upcoming UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in Berlin (May 13 - 14, 2025), the official plans to advocate the improvement and enhancement of these missions. Malaysia, he emphasised, remains committed to contributing effectively to global peacekeeping efforts, maintaining its role as a neutral and principled intermediary in international affairs.
On national sovereignty, the minister declared that MINDEF must adopt a proactive role amid evolving geopolitical challenges. He asserted that MINDEF is responsible for all sovereignty-related matters and must provide insightful and constructive perspectives for the government.
In 2024, Malaysia allocated 12 billion MYR (2.6 billion USD) for military procurements to bolster defence capabilities./.
