Kuala lumpur: The United States (US) is committed to continuing to strengthen close ties with Malaysia, including in the defence sector, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He noted that this was among the topics discussed by US Ambassador to ASEAN Kevin Kim during a courtesy call at the 37th Annual Military Law and Operations Conference (MILOPS) held in the capital today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the US is focused on enhancing and further strengthening its relationship with Malaysia, particularly in defence. Mohamed Khaled emphasized that the meeting was more about fortifying existing relations rather than discussing policy matters.

In addition to his meeting with Kevin Kim, Mohamed Khaled also had courtesy calls from ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn and Singapore's Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Defence Joseph Leong. During his discussion with Kao, they exchanged views on the challenges ASEAN faces and the defence sector's role in supporting ASEAN Centrality, peace, stability, and regional prosperity.

Mohamed Khaled highlighted that both parties agreed on the defence sector's significance in bolstering ASEAN's objectives and enhancing member states' cooperation. Furthermore, Joseph Leong, newly appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Singapore Ministry of Defence, reiterated his commitment to bolstering cooperation with Malaysia, emphasizing both bilateral and multilateral efforts at the ASEAN level, including through the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).

The 37th MILOPS Annual Conference is currently taking place in Kuala Lumpur and will run until August 6. The event gathers government officials and military representatives from over 30 countries to discuss regional security challenges and enhance cooperation in legal and military operations.