PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Brunei have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation under ASEAN-led security and defence mechanisms in addressing both traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
This includes collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus.
The reaffirmation was made in a joint statement issued following discussions between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, in conjunction with the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation (ALC) here today.
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the close defence cooperation, which continues to be strengthened through regular exchanges of visits, training courses and military exercises,” the statement said.
The leaders also commended the contributions of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) towards maintaining international peace and stability under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The leaders expressed appreciation for the continued participation of senior defence officials in key platforms, including the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA ‘25), scheduled from May 20 to 24, as well as other defence-related programmes.
They also noted the significant progress achieved during the 4th Bilateral Meeting between the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) of Brunei Darussalam and the National Disaster Management Agency of Malaysia (NADMA) held from Aug 18 to 21 in Bandar Seri Begawan.
“Both leaders welcomed discussions on the establishment of the Disaster Management Working Group (DMWG) under the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Disaster Management, as a significant step to further strengthen and streamline bilateral cooperation,” the statement said.
Brunei Darussalam also expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s support through the Special Malaysian Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) in conducting a scoping mission from June 9 to 13 in Bandar Seri Begawan.
“The leaders jointly acknowledged the findings of the mission as a valuable input to support Brunei Darussalam’s preparation towards obtaining the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) External Classification (IEC),” the joint statement added.
The leaders further acknowledged the establishment of a Joint Committee under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Areas of Syariah Judiciary, which includes sharing of court judgments, exchange of publications, joint research, and academic collaboration in the field of Syariah Law.
Both leaders also looked forward to the renewal of the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Higher, Technical and Vocational Education.
“Both leaders commended the ongoing collaboration between educational institutions in Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, including scholarship opportunities in higher education, student and academic staff exchanges, mobility programmes, and joint efforts to enhance technical and vocational training,” the statement read.
Anwar and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah also encouraged the relevant agencies in Brunei Darussalam to explore placements for Bruneian students in multinational corporations (MNCs) in Malaysia to enhance skills, employability and career opportunities. – Bernama
