GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia has urged all Asean member states to take collective action to preserve regional maritime stability.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said if member states do not act now, maritime stability would be severely compromised.
“We must not let our sovereign maritime zones fall into the hands of foreign powers. We cannot afford silence. We cannot afford fragmentation. And we certainly cannot afford a destabilised Southeast Asia.
“Hence, what we need is a collective action, that turns dialogue into delivery and ambition into execution.
“Malaysia is fully committed to this path. And we urge all Asean member states to join us in realising this aspiration. We must stand ready to cooperate and to co-create for a better maritime future,” he said in his speech at the 19th Asean Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM).
Malaysia is the chair of Asean this year.
Khaled said let this ANCM not be remembered for polite speeches or firm handshakes but as a turning point, where Asean navies come together to build solutions.
“To every navy chief in this room, you are not just protectors of our maritime borders. In truth, you are the builders of regional peace.
“Let us work together openly, honestly and purposefully, to chart a secure and stable maritime future for Asean,” he added.
Elaborating, Khaled said the challenges in the regional maritime domain were growing more complex by the day — from traditional power rivalries and territorial disputes to non-traditional threats like illegal fishing, cyber intrusions and disinformation.
He said no single navy, agency or government could address these alone.
“Hence, our response must not be fragmented. Instead, it must be united, decisive and future-focused.
“The choice of meeting in Penang, a maritime hub with deep historical and strategic ties to the Straits of Malacca, serves as a powerful reminder of why we are here.
“The sea lanes that surround us are among the busiest and most contested in the world. What happens here has implications far beyond our shores.
“This gathering of Asean naval leadership is not just symbolic, but it is strategic. It is our opportunity to reaffirm unity, rebuild trust and reinvigorate our commitment to maritime security cooperation,” he said.
Khaled offered three key messages as Asean looks ahead and moves forward.
Firstly, he said, in upholding Asean’s centrality and neutrality, member states must also explore avenues to solidify regional solidarity.
“We are all aware of the grey-zone tactics that continue to test our resolve, such as foreign incursions, maritime coercion and the quiet undermining of sovereignty.
“In the face of this, Asean must remain the anchor of maritime order in our region. International laws, particularly UNCLOS 1982, must be the foundation on which our cooperation must stand.
“Yet, we must acknowledge that Asean’s solidarity remains a goal that we all must actively work on. The strength of Asean will be realised only when we speak with one voice and stand shoulder-to-shoulder when it matters most.
“Any compromise on this principle risks eroding the very unity that underpins Asean’s credibility and its central role in regional stability,” he said.
Secondly, he said, Asean must move beyond rhetoric and concretise practical Asean-led maritime cooperation.
He said, over the years, platforms like the Asean Maritime Forum, the Asean Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX), and Asean Our Eyes had helped lay the groundwork.
He said that in this regard, the Royal Malaysian Navy was playing its part through operations such as the Malacca Strait Patrol (MSP) and the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA).
He also urged Asean members to work together across government, communities, and businesses to improve maritime security.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
