Hishammuddin: Trilateral cooperative arrangement mulls including Brunei to make quartet

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — The Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines may be expanded into a Quartet Cooperative Arrangement to include Brunei, said Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Hishammuddin said he and his Brunei counterpart Pehin Awang Halbi Mohd Yussof discussed this matter during their bilateral meeting which was held on the sidelines of the Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition and National Security Conference Asia (Natsec) 2022 here.

Brunei’s proposed inclusion would be subject to the approval of the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, he told a press conference after closing the biennial DSA and Natsec 2022 today.

Hishammuddin said at the meeting, Malaysia and Brunei also agreed to explore further defence cooperation, particularly in joint exercises on anti-terrorism and special forces training.

The TCA ministerial meeting on Monday had agreed to expand the TCA, which was created to address maritime security threats in the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas, beyond its current defence sphere by effectively incorporating a multi-agency approach.

Hishammuddin said there was also a proposal to create another Quartet Cooperative Arrangement comprising Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand to secure the safety of the Straits of Melaka.

He said his counterparts Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia and Dr Ng Eng Hen of Singapore had agreed to discuss this subject with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also defence minister.

He said the quartet could enhance the security structure of the Straits of Melaka, adding that the proposed Melaka Straits Patrol (MSP) involving the four countries was still under discussion.

Touching on the bilateral meeting with Indonesia, Hishammuddin said both countries agreed to convene the General Border Committee Malindo meeting in July this year to discuss the progress of joint border posts.

Hishammuddin said face-to-face bilateral meetings held with five defence ministers — Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and Maldives — on the sidelines of DSA and Natsec allowed them to discuss constructive issues.

Malaysia officially lowered the curtain on the four-day DSA and Natsec 2022 today, and is looking forward to staging the events again from May 6 to 9, 2024. — Bernama