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 robust response from different international locations to “Norway’s unilateral resolution” at a significant 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 informed the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Mohamed Khaled criticised what he known as double requirements within the utility of worldwide legislation amongst “growing 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 stated that the revocations had been “solely as a result of Norway’s utility of the export management rules” and that it’s “regrettable” that they’ve affected Malaysia.
Its overseas ministry has stated it can not touch upon particular person contracts as they had been coated below strict confidentiality clauses.
Mohamed Khaled stated 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 cellphone name along with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Retailer.
Anwar has warned that the choice “may have grave penalties for Malaysia’s defence operational readiness and the Littoral Fight Ship (LCS) modernisation programme”.
The LCS programme, first authorized 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 overview, with the variety of ships lowered to 5.
Supply of the primary vessel, anticipated in August, has been pushed again to December as a result of delays in tools deliveries and ongoing rework, in accordance with officers cited in native media stories.
