KUALA LUMPUR — The United States (US) remains committed to strengthening its close relationship with Malaysia, including in the defence sector, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.
He said the matter was raised during a courtesy call by US Ambassador to Asean Kevin Kim, held in conjunction with the 37th Annual Military Law and Operations Conference (MILOPS) in Kuala Lumpur today, local media reported.
“The US will always pay attention to enhancing and further strengthening close ties between the two countries, including in the defence sector,” he told reporters after receiving the courtesy call.
Mohamed Khaled said the meeting focused on efforts to enhance existing relations and did not involve discussions on policy matters.
The remarks come amid diplomatic tensions following calls by several US lawmakers for Malaysia to reverse its restrictions on Israeli citizens entering the country.
Eight US House Democrats recently sent a letter urging the administration of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review ties with Malaysia if Kuala Lumpur did not change its position within 15 days. The lawmakers also proposed suspending the International Military Education and Training (IMET) programme and reviewing broader economic and security cooperation.
They accused Malaysia’s enforcement of its entry restrictions on Israeli citizens, including deportations involving dual nationals, of being discriminatory and “anti-Semitic”.
Malaysia has rejected the accusation, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim defending the country’s policy as a sovereign foreign and immigration stance that is rooted in opposition to oppression rather than hostility towards Jewish people.
Following the lawmakers’ demands, the US State Department sought clarification from Malaysia’s ambassador in Washington, Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan subsequently reaffirmed that Malaysia’s position on Israel has remained consistent for decades.
Apart from Kevin, Mohamed Khaled also received courtesy calls from Asean Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn and Singapore’s Permanent Secretary for Defence Joseph Leong.
Commenting on his meeting with Kao, Mohamed Khaled said both sides exchanged views on challenges facing Asean and discussed ways the defence sector could contribute towards upholding Asean Centrality, peace, stability and regional prosperity.
He said they also agreed that the defence sector played a key role in supporting Asean’s goals and strengthening cooperation among member states.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said Joseph, who was recently appointed Singapore’s Permanent Secretary for Defence, expressed his commitment to continuing and expanding defence cooperation with Malaysia.
According to him, the cooperation would cover not only bilateral relations but also multilateral platforms such as Asean and the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).
The 37th MILOPS Annual Conference is being held in Kuala Lumpur from today until August 6, bringing together government officials and military representatives from more than 30 countries to discuss regional security challenges and strengthen cooperation in legal aspects related to military operations. – August 3, 2026