Defense & Military news in Malaysia
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Armed forces propose reviving national task force for border security
Malaysia's armed forces have submitted a proposal to the National Security Council to revive the framework of the former National Task Force to strengthen national border security. Defence Force chief General Malik Razak Sulaiman said the approach proved effective during the Covid-19 pandemic. He added that Malaysia maintains close cooperation with neighbours Thailand and Indonesia on cross-border security.
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China reduces troop numbers along India-China border: Defence Ministry report
India's Defence Ministry annual report for 2025-26 says China has significantly reduced its troop formations along the Line of Actual Control. The change follows India's deployment of 10 integrated battle groups in the border area. Talks at political, diplomatic and military levels have helped restore calm, the report says.
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Pacific Partnership 2026 closing ceremony held at INTAN Sabah
The Malaysia leg of Pacific Partnership 2026 concluded with a closing ceremony at INTAN Sabah in Kota Kinabalu. The two-week mission involved nearly 1,500 personnel from 10 nations and focused on disaster preparedness, engineering, medical and public health, and community outreach. The mission will next move to the Philippines.
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ASEAN risks losing relevance as smaller groupings grow, Kao warns
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn warned in Jakarta on Sept 14 that the grouping risks being sidelined as countries turn to smaller security partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. Speaking at the third ASEAN Think Tanks Summit, he said ASEAN must make better use of existing forums such as the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum. The issue gains weight as Singapore takes over the ASEAN chair in 2027, the grouping's 60th anniversary.
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Anwar calls for economic reform at BRICS summit, confirms BrahMos talks
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged developing nations to take concrete steps to secure their financial future during his address at the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi. He also confirmed Malaysia is looking into acquiring India's BrahMos missile system, with the final decision resting with the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
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Armed Forces ready aircraft to help Health Ministry with remote medical evacuations
The Armed Forces chief says the military has enough assets and helicopters to assist the Health Ministry with emergency medical evacuations in remote areas once a formal request is made and coordination completed. He stressed the support is limited to emergency medical transport, not a takeover of the ministry's daily operations.
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Armed forces propose multi-agency border security operation
The Malaysian Armed Forces is proposing a more integrated, multi-agency operation to tighten land and maritime border security and curb illegal entry. Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman said the approach, modelled on the National Task Force used during Covid-19, has been submitted to the National Security Council for consideration. He said the Kedah-Kelantan land border stretch remains under control and that Malaysia maintains cooperation platforms with Thailand on cross-border issues.
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Malaysia weighs second US Coast Guard ship, repair cost the deciding factor
Malaysia is considering a US offer to take a second United States Coast Guard vessel, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. A decision will wait for an inspection report by the ministry and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency on the ship's suitability and repair costs. He also addressed a proposed Rela allowance rise and the investigation into a Negeri Sembilan menteri besar claim.
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Iran-Gulf states talks on Strait of Hormuz postponed
Talks between Iran and several Gulf states over the disputed Strait of Hormuz have been postponed, Oman's foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi said. The meeting due Monday was put off without a new date, as the key oil and gas shipping lane becomes an Iranian pressure point in its conflict with the United States.
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MMEA to get second Turkish-built mission ship by end-2027, says Saifuddin
Malaysia will receive the second of two Multi-Purpose Mission Ships built in Turkey for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency by the end of next year, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in Putrajaya. He will travel to Istanbul this month to check on both vessels, with the first due in March. Saifuddin also said the United States Coast Guard has offered Malaysia a second offshore patrol vessel, subject to a seaworthiness and cost review.
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Houthis launch more attacks on Saudi Arabia as Yemen fighting escalates
Fighting in Yemen has intensified as government forces attack Houthi positions along the Red Sea coast, while the Iran-backed group steps up attacks on neighbouring Saudi Arabia. The latest strikes on a Saudi oil pipeline and ships in the Gulf region on 13 September have worsened global energy supply disruptions. The Houthis earlier seized the port city of Mokha and an island in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
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North Korea holds large-scale strike drill with missiles and combat drones
North Korea carried out a large-scale firing drill involving long-range artillery, tactical missiles and combat drones, according to KCNA. The drill began Saturday, after South Korea reported ballistic missile launches from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea. KCNA did not disclose the actual location of the drill.
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Malaysia to attend China's Xiangshan defence forum in Beijing
China's annual Xiangshan Forum opens in Beijing on Sept 15, with Defence Minister Dong Jun expected to outline Beijing's global security aims amid tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Malaysia will be represented by Vice Defence Minister Adly Zahari, while Vietnam sends its defence minister and the US sends a lower-level delegation.
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Iran to hold Gulf security talks in Salalah over Strait of Hormuz
Iran will meet Gulf states in Salalah, Oman on Monday to discuss security cooperation over the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported. The talks come as Iran and the US clash over the blockaded waterway, which previously carried a fifth of world oil supplies.
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Merchant ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz, one dead three injured
A merchant ship was attacked around 5am Sunday in waters near Hengam and Qeshm islands in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one crew member and injuring three others. The governor of Qeshm said the cause was not yet known, while United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported the vessel was hit by an unidentified object and caught fire. The incident came a day before Iran and Gulf states meet in Oman to discuss the strategic waterway, which is vital to global oil and gas trade.
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Father recalls Captain Zainol Afiq's service in rural Sarawak
The body of Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 31, was buried at the Forest Height Islamic Cemetery in Senawang, Seremban this evening. His father, Bee Sham Ahmad, said his son was deeply loved by people in rural Sarawak for his commitment to bringing health services to them through the Air Doctor Service. The family is leaving the investigation into the helicopter crash to the authorities.
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Friends and family remember Captain Zainol Afiq, killed in Long Lellang helicopter crash
Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, who died in a helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Miri, Sarawak, is remembered as a kind and helpful friend. His schoolmate Dr Muhammad Fauzan Baharum wept upon learning Zainol Afiq was among the victims. The brother-in-law of the deceased's wife described him as responsible and committed to his family.
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Kapten Zainol Afiq remembered as family icon
Kapten Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, killed in a helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Miri, Sarawak, was described as a helpful person and a family icon. A school friend and his wife's uncle shared memories at Masjid Bandar Baru Senawang, Seremban.
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Ship reported attacked in Strait of Hormuz; fears grow over oil supply
A maritime monitoring body says a ship crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday was hit by a missile. Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack from Iraq. The disruption raises fears of higher fuel prices worldwide.
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Singapore air force rescues patient from ship in territorial waters
A call for emergency medical help came from a ship in Singapore's territorial waters on Saturday. The RSAF's Rescue 10 team airlifted the patient to Singapore General Hospital.
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Iraq closes three Iran border crossings, probes drone attack on Saudi pipeline
Iraq closed three border crossings with Iran - Shalamcheh in Basra, al-Shib in Maysan and Mandali in Diyala - while investigating a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline that was launched from Iraqi territory. A drone launcher was found in the al-Tayyib border area of Maysan, and a search operation is under way. Saudi Arabia suspended pipeline operations as a precaution, while US President Donald Trump said Tehran was possibly behind the attack without providing evidence.
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Strait of Hormuz ship hit by projectile as Saudi pipeline shuts after drone attack
A projectile struck a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, with the crew evacuated after a fire, according to UKMTO. The report followed Saudi Arabia's temporary closure of its East-West pipeline after a drone attack, pushing Brent crude back above US$100 a barrel.
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Anwar: Malaysia mulling India's BrahMos missile, Air Force to decide
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed in an interview with India's NDTV that Malaysia is exploring the acquisition of India's BrahMos air-to-surface missile system, following discussions with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. He said the Air Force would make the final decision and that no decision has been made yet.
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Anwar: Malaysia in early talks to buy India's BrahMos missile system
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia is in exploratory talks to acquire India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, raised during his bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said any procurement decision would rest with Malaysia's armed forces based on operational and technical needs, and that no final decision has been made. The talks are part of a wider push to expand Malaysia-India ties into defence, aerospace and maritime security.