Kuala lumpur: Malaysia has stressed the need for armies to remain agile and resilient in confronting modern security challenges, saying land forces must be prepared to counter hybrid and grey-zone threats ranging from information warfare to cyber intrusions. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari emphasized this during the officiation of the 14th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC), the 49th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS), and the 11th Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF) 2025 at the InterContinental Hotel.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari stated that the transformation of land forces must involve not only doctrinal evolution but also a shift in mindset, as adaptability is essential in today's volatile security landscape. He highlighted the Indo-Pacific as the strategic centre of gravity for global affairs and commerce, with over 60 percent of world trade transiting its waters, making regional stability crucial to the global economy.
Adly Zahari outlined five strategic priorities for land forces, focusing on agility in facing hybrid threats and the adaptation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and unmanned systems. He also stressed the importance of logistics resilience, people-centric transformation through leadership development, and enhancing humanitarian assistance and climate security response.
Malaysia remains committed to international security through active participation in peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and multilateral exercises under ASEAN and the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). This commitment reaffirms Malaysia's belief that cooperative security represents the only sustainable path forward.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Army Chief Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan emphasized that hosting IPACC, IPAMS, and SELF for the third time underscores Malaysia's commitment to regional defence cooperation, noting the complexity of the region's security challenges. He reiterated that no nation can confront the mix of traditional and non-traditional security challenges alone.
The presence of United States Army Pacific Commanding General Gen Ronald Clark and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur David Gamble highlighted international support. Gen Clark described Malaysia as a great partner in the region and noted the gathering of 25 delegations as a testament to the collective will to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The conference, themed 'Forging Synergy: Transforming Multinational Land Power Network Through Open Fashion Contact', runs until Sept 26 at Hotel InterContinental Kuala Lumpur. It brings together 162 participants from 27 countries, including 13 Chiefs of Army, to discuss strengthening interoperability, information-sharing, technology integration, and humanitarian response capabilities across the Indo-Pacific.