KUALA LUMPUR: Asean must evolve to confront modern threats that transcend borders and dimensions, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said that while traditional defence cooperation remains vital, the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) must now move into new areas such as technological foresight, cybersecurity collaboration and shared innovation to stay relevant.
“The ADMM must evolve with the times. Threats today transcend borders and dimensions,” he said in his opening address at the 19th ADMM here today.
Khaled said that although challenges in the South China Sea continue to test regional stability, the digital domain is now equally vulnerable.
“The threats that test our networks and systems may be invisible, but they are just as dangerous as those threatening our maritime zones.
“Whether on land, at sea or in cyberspace, we can no longer afford to ignore any front of our security,” he said.
He said powerful non-state actors are increasingly exploiting technology as a weapon to disrupt societies, topple governments and undermine critical infrastructure through cyberattacks, misinformation and digital manipulation.
“If we fail to invest against these threats, we fail to secure our future,” he said, adding that peace in the digital and cyber domains was not only Asean’s concern but also a global responsibility.
Khaled said Asean, through the ADMM, must remain at the centre of efforts to lead, safeguard and secure the region.
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s theme for this year’s ADMM, “Asean Unity for Security and Prosperity”, which underscores unity as the region’s strongest defence against uncertainty.
He said that Asean’s core principle of centrality must always be upheld by placing the bloc’s collective interests first.
“In whatever we do and wherever we stand – never secondary, never optional. To think Asean, to act Asean and to behave Asean.”
Khaled said solidarity among member states must not be selective, especially when regional peace is at stake.
He also urged Asean nations to continue protecting their internal unity and external openness, which he described as the foundation of the bloc’s credibility as a neutral and reliable platform for regional security dialogue.
Khaled thanked Thailand and Cambodia for entrusting Malaysia to facilitate efforts to resolve their border dispute peacefully and called on other member states to expedite the formation of the Asean Observer Team.
He added that Asean remains committed to helping Myanmar resolve its internal conflict and return to its rightful place within the bloc.
“Through ADMM and ADMM-Plus, let us ensure that defence remains not just a shield of protection, but also a foundation for lasting peace,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
