Malaysia’s defence minister says the country will not quickly raise its defence budget, citing competing priorities for national spending. Mohamed Khaled Nordin tells multiple outlets that Malaysia is managing limited public finances while trying to modernise an ageing military. He says the budget allocation needs to cover various sectors and that Malaysia does not have the financial flexibility of a fully developed economy.
The comments come amid US pressure on partners to increase self-reliance and raise defence spending. Nordin acknowledges the United States’ right to make such demands, but argues Malaysia faces structural constraints as a developing country and must balance security needs with economic and social spending. Analysts cited by one outlet say Malaysia is unlikely to reach the level suggested by Washington, including targets expressed as a share of gross domestic product.
While rejecting rapid spending increases, Malaysia is looking at how it can strengthen deterrence without matching larger powers’ spending levels, including an interest in asymmetric approaches to defence. The position is presented as an effort to modernise capabilities while avoiding an excessive fiscal burden and not being seen as aligning closely with any single strategic bloc.
