PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Brunei have reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation in various Asean-led security and defence mechanisms to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
This includes cooperation through platforms such as the Asean Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus.
This was one of the things discussed between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, as well as their respective delegations, during the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Meeting at the Seri Perdana Complex.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the close defence cooperation that continues to be strengthened through reciprocal visits, training courses and joint military exercises.
They also expressed appreciation for the contributions of the Malaysian and Royal Brunei armed forces in maintaining international peace and stability through their participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
Both leaders also appreciated the continuous participation of senior defence officials in key platforms, including the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (Lima ’25), in May, as well as various other defense-related programs.
In addition, Anwar and Sultan Hassanal noted the significant progress from the 4th Bilateral Meeting between the Brunei National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) which was held from Aug 18 to 21 in Bandar Seri Begawan.
“Both leaders welcomed the discussions on the establishment of a Disaster Management Working Group (DMWG) under the Memorandum of Understanding on Disaster Management Cooperation as a significant step to strengthen and standardize bilateral cooperation,” read a joint statement.
Brunei said it appreciated Malaysia’s support through the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), which conducted an evaluation mission in Bandar Seri Begawan from June 9 to 13.
The outcome of that mission was acknowledged by both leaders as important input to help Brunei prepare to obtain the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group External Classification (INSARAG-IEC) certification.
Meanwhile, both countries also acknowledged the establishment of a joint committee under the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Syariah Judiciary.
This includes the sharing of Syariah court judgment grounds, the exchange of publications and academic reports, as well as joint research in the fields of Islamic jurisprudence and Syariah law.
“Both leaders appreciated the existing cooperation between Malaysian and Bruneian educational institutions, including scholarship offers, student and lecturer exchanges, academic mobility programmes, and efforts to expand technical and vocational training cooperation,” the statement read.
Anwar and Sultan Hassanal also encouraged relevant agencies in Brunei to explore the placement of Bruneian students in multinational companies (MNCs) in Malaysia, to strengthen skills development, employability and career opportunities for the youth.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
