KUALA LUMPUR: As part of the efforts to enhance defence cooperation between both countries, Malaysia and Indonesia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which outlines five main goals.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto, after the signing, described the MoU as a "breath of fresh air" for the defence cooperation between the neighbouring countries.
Hishammuddin, in a statement, said the MoU would enable the defence cooperation between the two countries to be expanded.
The five key elements in the MoU include information sharing on defence issues, as well as cooperation between the two armed forces at various levels, including exchange of officers, training, education and military exercises.
The MoU also aimed to have more bilateral dialogues and negotiations on strategic defence and military issues based on common interests, cooperation in the field of defence science and technology, as well as cooperation in the defence industry.
"To ensure that the MoU is implemented well, Prabowo and I will continue to monitor it together.
"We have also instructed the highest leadership of the (Defence) Ministry and the armed forces in Malaysia and Indonesia to improve communications and (the frequency of) meetings with their respective counterparts."
The ministers earlier co-chaired the 42nd General Border Committee Malaysia-Indonesia (GBC Malindo) meeting at Wisma Perwira at the Defence Ministry here on Tuesday.
"Today's (Tuesday's) meeting is very special and significant considering that this year is the 50th anniversary of border cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia. It was formed as a result of the signing of the Security Arrangement 1972."
Apart from the MoU, Hishammuddin said, the two countries had also agreed to focus on anti-terrorism activities.
He said this would be achieved through the revival of the Malaysia-Indonesia Land, Sea and Air Joint Training (Latgabma Malindo Darsasa) exercise involving all three service branches in both countries, adding that it would start in 2023.
"We mutually acknowledge that the existing defence cooperation between the two countries over the years would have been difficult to implement if it weren't for the determination, ability and unwavering spirit of togetherness.
"This is not just an agreement at the ministerial level but, more importantly, its actual implementation on land, sea and air by the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the Indonesian National Army (TNI)."
Hishammuddin said Tuesday's meeting also focused on improving defence at the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, as well as the socio-economic development between the countries, especially since Indonesia has decided to move its capital to Kalimantan.
As a result of this year's GBC meeting, Hishammuddin said, the two ministers had also reached several important agreements, especially regarding security and defence at the border.
"These include first accelerating the assignment of ATM and TNI at existing and new joint posts (Gabma) involving seven posts each in Malaysia and Indonesia.
"(Second is) reactivating coordinated land, sea and air patrols that have been suspended due to Covid-19 to strengthen the cooperative relationship between the security agencies of the two countries.
"(Third is) establishing cybersecurity cooperation under GBC Malindo, which aims to build cooperative relationships between Malaysian and Indonesian cyberagencies and to explore new initiatives in an effort to preserve the cyberdata security of both countries."