The Malaysian government has ordered an immediate halt to all new defence procurement involving equipment and military assets from Norway following the country’s decision to revoke an export licence for missiles intended for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.
Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the Communications Minister, said the decision was reached during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday after ministers reviewed the latest developments surrounding Norway’s cancellation of the export licence.
According to Fahmi, the Cabinet agreed that the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) should immediately suspend any new purchases of defence equipment or military assets from Norway. The move reflects Malaysia’s firm response to the issue, which has affected a key component of the country’s naval modernisation programme.
Norway recently cancelled the export licence for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system that was scheduled to be installed on the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships, citing the need to safeguard its national security interests. The decision has prompted strong objections from Malaysia and sparked discussions on the future of the LCS project.
In response, MINDEF has issued a notice of claim worth approximately RM1 billion against the defence company involved following the cancellation of the NSM procurement contract. At the same time, the ministry has identified four potential countries that could supply an alternative anti-ship missile system to ensure the LCS project continues without further delays.
