cover image: No. 014/2021 dated 9 November 2021

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No. 014/2021 dated 9 November 2021

9 Nov 2021

014 – 9 November 2021 2021 The authors' views are their own and do not represent the official position of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies of the S. [...] Its 2019 defence white paper notes the value of the FPDA exercises in improving “the knowledge, skills, and professionalism of the military personnel” and enhancing the “defence capability and preparedness” of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). [...] The defence ministers meet formally at the triennial FPDA Defence Ministers’ Meeting, while the chiefs of defence forces meet annually at the FPDA Defence Chiefs’ Conference. [...] Peter Ho, former Permanent Secretary of Defence of Singapore, said that the FPDA provided a “platform for the two defence establishments of the two countries to keep channels of communication open and to maintain a level of contact not possible in a bilateral setting.” Put together, Malaysia’s ties with its FPDA partners buttress its bilateral and multilateral defence and strategic goals. [...] This multilayered positioning is the hallmark of Malaysia’s approach on regional geopolitics: a declared non-alignment despite an apparent tilt towards China’s position diplomatically; scepticism towards the regional role of the US and its allies; and simultaneously, the building of low-profile substantive defence ties with them and investment in regional institutions like the ASEAN and FPDA that.
Pages
5
Published in
Singapore