Prabowo to Deepen New Areas of Defence Cooperation with Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 14 Nov -- Non-traditional security threats were among the things that were discussed in the Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral meeting in conjunction with the official visit of Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto to the country.

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said both sides also exchanged views on the dynamic aspects of the global security landscape.

"Another matter discussed was the threat of terrorism which has become the focus of the two countries," he told a press conference after receiving a visit from Prabowo at Wisma Perwira here today.

He said with the existing 62-year diplomatic ties, Malaysia had always regarded Indonesia as the closest and important neighbour.

Meanwhile, Prabowo expressed confidence that Malaysia and Indonesia would forge various new areas of defence cooperation in the future.

"I believe that our defence relationship is improving...we share the same views and will look for new areas of defence cooperation such as in the defence technical industry," he said.

Prabowo's two-day visit to Malaysia is his first after being appointed Indonesian Defence Minister on Oct 23. Prabowo is a former general of Kopassus, Indonesia’s elite special forces, and his Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) holds the third-largest bloc of seats in parliament, leading observers to regard him as the country’s most powerful defence minister of the post-Suharto era.

-- BERNAMA