Malaysia Deploys 2 RMN Ships To Bali, To Boost Maritime Defence Ties With 39 Nations

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has deployed two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) ships to the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2025 in Bali to enhance international maritime defence relations and cooperation.

KD Kelantan and KD Selangor will participate in the exercise alongside 39 other nations from February 15 to 22, focusing on disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

Eastern Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Datuk Khir Junaidi Idris stated that Malaysia’s participation in MNEK will boost RMN’s confidence and capability in addressing maritime security threats, including terrorism, smuggling, piracy, and other challenges that could disrupt regional stability.

"This will foster better understanding and interoperability among participating nations through interaction, knowledge exchange, and learning new tactics and operational Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) tailored to current geopolitical scenarios," he said.

"This participation underscores Malaysia’s commitment to regional security through maritime cooperation and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) management," he told Bernama.

As the head of the RMN delegation, Khir Junaidi emphasised that MNEK serves as an ideal platform to ensure RMN remains prepared to tackle evolving maritime challenges while reaffirming Malaysia’s commitment to promoting stability, peace, and maritime security in the region.

RMN’s participation includes the Field Training Exercise, International Fleet Review (IFR), and International Maritime Security Symposium, along with other activities such as the Engineering Civic Action Programme, Medical Civic Action Programme, Lesson from Expert, Subject Matter Expert Exchange, Maritime Hospitality, and Community Relations.

MNEK was officially inaugurated by Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) Chief of Staff Admiral Dr Muhammad Ali in Tanjung Benoa on Sunday, with Malaysian Naval Assistant Defence Attaché Commander Nor Izam Baharudin also in attendance.

Representatives from participating nations later boarded the Indonesian Navy vessel TNI AL, KRI Dr Radjiman Wedyodiningrat to witness the IFR, featuring 37 ships, including KD Kelantan and KD Selangor.

During bilateral meetings, Khir Junaidi held discussions with the naval chiefs of Indonesia, Brunei, New Zealand, and Australia, as well as delegation leaders from Russia, Spain, and Bangladesh, to review existing maritime defence cooperation and future collaboration plans.

-- BERNAMA