Khaled says Asean unity must be respected

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Malaysia has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to enhance its regional disaster response capabilities in response to growing complex and interconnected threats. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin emphasized that no single Asean member state could tackle these challenges alone, stressing the importance of closer regional cooperation and collective preparedness.

Speaking at the 20th Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Cebu, Philippines, Khaled highlighted that non-traditional threats are no longer mere possibilities but are real, recurring, and increasingly difficult to ignore. He stressed the need for proactive and coordinated initiatives to bolster communities' preparedness, resilience, and recovery from emergencies.

Khaled also highlighted the importance of cultivating strong local and regional capacities to ensure an effective response when disasters occur. He pointed to Asean's response to the earthquake in Myanmar last year as an example of how the AMRG on HADR (Asean Militaries Ready Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) facilitates military assistance and deployment to affected areas.

Looking ahead, Khaled stressed that Asean must build upon this foundation to enhance operational readiness, improve coordination, and ensure swift and effective responses to disasters. He emphasized that the need for stronger cooperation extends beyond disaster response, as Asean confronts greater strategic competition, uncertainty, and evolving security threats.

Khaled cautioned that ADMM must evolve beyond confronting new threats with old approaches, calling for greater collective preparedness, stronger coordination, and sustained investment in capabilities to ensure defense cooperation yields tangible benefits for the people. He reiterated Asean's commitment to peace and stability, stressing that the region's strength lies in mutual trust, constructive management of differences, and a shared commitment to regional interests.

Khaled affirmed Malaysia's commitment to strengthening ADMM, upholding Asean Centrality, and fostering a more secure and resilient regional community.