Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia and Brunei continue to strengthen their commitment to expanding regional cooperation in disaster preparedness and cross-border security, in addition to enhancing the longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid shared in a Facebook post that this commitment was expressed during a bilateral meeting with Brunei's Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Setia Awang Ahmaddin Abdul Rahman, on the sidelines of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2025 in Geneva.

He expressed appreciation for Brunei's readiness to continue joint training between the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) and Brunei's National Disaster Management Centre, including knowledge transfer programmes and training based on best practices.

'We also agreed to intensify joint exercises and field training, including rescue operations and emergency simulations, which were recently conducted,' he said. 'These trainings not only foster trust between agencies but are also essential in coordinating operating procedures in the event of cross-border disasters.'

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, stated that Malaysia and Brunei had proven that close neighbourly ties, combined with strong commitment, could build more robust regional cooperation in disaster and security matters. He assured that the synergy would continue to be strengthened in the interest of the safety and well-being of the people in both countries.