Khaled Nordin Facebook picture.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Kuwait are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defence cooperation, a move considered beneficial to both nations.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced this agreement following his courtesy call on Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, who also serves as the Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior, at the Ministry of Defence in Kuwait on Monday (Oct 7).
"Kuwait views the South China Sea as an important area, just as Malaysia is attentive to Middle Eastern developments, as they can have global impacts.
"Therefore, it is crucial for Malaysia to understand and be aware of the issues in the Middle East. Through this MOU, we will gain insights from Kuwait's perspective, a stable and peaceful nation in the region, which will aid in understanding the political situation and defence stability, along with other defence-related matters,” Mohamed Khaled stated in a press release on Tuesday (Oct 8).
Mohamed Khaled arrived in Kuwait on Sunday for an official working visit to bolster bilateral relations and defence cooperation between Malaysia and Kuwait.
The minister noted that the cooperation will pave the way for enhanced bilateral relations through research and development collaboration, military officer training exchanges, and the sharing of rapidly advancing technology and innovations.
Additionally, Kuwait has responded positively to Malaysia’s interest in acquiring F/A-18 Legacy Hornet aircraft from the Kuwait Air Force (KAF) for the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). Both countries have agreed to establish a special committee to commence discussions and negotiations.
"Kuwait has shown a positive response to Malaysia’s request for the purchase of these assets, but we understand that it is subject to two conditions: the supplier country's agreement and the delivery of new air assets to Kuwait.
"We are grateful to the Kuwaiti government for their affirmative indication, especially as they recognise this is an urgent need for Malaysia,” Mohamed Khaled mentioned.
According to Mohamed Khaled, acquiring Legacy Hornet fighter jets is essential, and the Malaysian delegation in Kuwait inspected these assets and found them highly suitable for MAF use.
"We are aware that if we do not succeed in acquiring these jets, we will have to begin the process of sourcing new jets, which could take more than three to four years,” he added. – Bernama
