Most Defence Assets Acquisitions Will Be Through “G-to-G” To Prevent Wastage – PM

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Most of the country’s defense assets will be acquired through government-to-government (G2G) transactions to prevent wastage in the procurement process and reduce the involvement of individuals acting as “agents” for weapon companies.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat while presenting the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the security and sovereignty of the nation would continue to be upheld.

He also stated that only those “specialized in military matters” would determine the weaponry needed by the country.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said that the government would focus on three key areas to strengthen the country’s defense.

“Firstly: the main shift in strengthening national security and defense requires immediate action to address wastage in asset procurement procedures to ensure national defense readiness.”

“The entire procurement system has been overhauled to ensure that the required weapons supply is determined by military-related expertise, avoiding wastage, and in most cases, will be through G2G approaches with respective countries,” said the Prime Minister.

He added that the government was continuing its efforts to strengthen and modernize the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).

“Therefore, the government agrees to further enhance defense readiness through the procurement of additional assets such as armored vehicles, drones, Littoral Mission Ships, helicopters, and light combat aircraft,” he said.

Anwar said that the second key matter involved efforts to optimize security control at the borders through several projects.

Among these projects are the upgrading of the operations control center and the construction of new operational bases for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the upgrading of the Maritime Surveillance System and long-range radar detection towers.