KUALA LUMPUR — Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin today said he would visit the US Pentagon if the Cabinet approves, following an invitation from United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
Khaled said the invitation could pave the way for discussions on defence cooperation and capacity-building programmes between Malaysia and the United States.
“When we have cooperation, one of the matters often discussed is capacity-building programmes. These programmes involve friendly nations that want to help strengthen our ability to deal with various challenges faced by the country,” he said at a press conference here.
Khaled said the proposed visit might also involve talks on ongoing defence acquisitions that require US approval, such as Malaysia’s FA-50 light combat aircraft and maritime patrol aircraft.
“Among them is our FA-50 LCA, which includes components from the United States that require American clearance.
“The same goes for our maritime patrol aircraft, some of the equipment needs US support and approval. Without it, the delivery of these assets could be delayed,” he said.
He added that discussions with the Pentagon could also cover areas like maritime domain awareness, where the US has advanced capabilities that could be shared to enhance regional security.
“The strength of the US, among others, lies in its maritime domain awareness, being able to detect everything in the surrounding waters.
“Perhaps we can explore how such information can be shared and used for our national security interests,” he said.
Khaled said the invitation from Hegseth, who had posted on social media that he looked forward to welcoming him to the Pentagon next year, was a positive gesture.
However, he stressed that the decision to make the visit ultimately rests with the Malaysian Cabinet.
“There are many things that can be discussed, some that can be shared publicly and some that cannot,” he said with a smile.
“That too depends, if the Cabinet approves, then I’ll go to the Pentagon. He invited me; I didn’t ask to go,” he added.
