SINGAPORE: Malaysia criticised the “deafening silence” from main powers on Sunday (Might 31) over the collapse of its deal with Norway for a naval missile system, saying it “sends a harmful message” in regards to the integrity of worldwide contracts.
The 2 international locations have fallen right into a diplomatic dispute this month since Norway revoked export approvals for sure applied sciences.
Oslo says the transfer has not deliberately focused Malaysia, however Kuala Lumpur remains to be looking for more than US$251 million in compensation from the Norwegian firm concerned within the deal.
Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin condemned the shortage of sturdy response from different international locations to “Norway’s unilateral resolution” at a serious defence discussion board in Singapore.
“No critical concern was raised in regards to the integrity of contracts or accountability. This deafening silence sends a harmful message that some international locations are merely above scrutiny,” he advised the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Mohamed Khaled criticised what he referred to as double requirements within the utility of worldwide regulation amongst “creating nations” and “highly effective international locations or their allies”, including that Malaysia was now speaking with “actual companions” to purchase the missile system.
Norway has mentioned that the revocations have been “solely because of Norway’s utility of the export management rules” and that it’s “regrettable” that they’ve affected Malaysia.
Its international ministry has mentioned it can’t touch upon particular person contracts as they have been lined underneath strict confidentiality clauses.
Mohamed Khaled mentioned this month that the Malaysian authorities had despatched a discover to the corporate concerned, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, demanding compensation for each “direct and oblique prices”.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has additionally raised his “vehement objection” to the “unacceptable” resolution in a telephone name together with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Retailer.
Anwar has warned that the choice “can have grave penalties for Malaysia’s defence operational readiness and the Littoral Fight Ship (LCS) modernisation programme”.
The LCS programme, first authorised in Malaysia in 2011 with an preliminary contract price RM6 billion (US$1.5 billion), was for six vessels.
The deal, which had been affected by allegations of mismanagement and rising prices, was relaunched in 2023 following a authorities evaluation, with the variety of ships lowered to 5.
Supply of the primary vessel, anticipated in August, has been pushed again to December because of delays in tools deliveries and ongoing rework, in keeping with officers cited in native media stories.
