Perwira Dialogue

With the release of Malaysia’s 2019 Defence White Paper - a document embodying the country’s commitment to defending national interests, the Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security organised the Perwira Dialogue on 24th February 2020. The forum held at the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia Complex summoned various experts, including GAIA’s very own Dr. Asyura Salleh, to examine and discuss core ideas of the Defence White Paper. The main objective was to facilitate the sharing and exchange of perspectives and viewpoints on the implementation of the Paper vis-a-vis Malaysia's defence strategies and domains. 

Dr. Asyura Salleh delivering her talk during the session

Malaysia’s maritime security interests in the Defence White Paper is marked by traditional threats such as outstanding territorial claims, foreign vessel incursions, militarization at sea, and freedom of navigation operations, and by non-traditional one such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing which impacts the country’s fishing resources. 

On this subject, the forum also hosted other regional specialists such as Dr. Evan A. Laksmana, Mr. Neil Orme, and Dr. Tran Viet Thai to provide their respective maritime security insights. In her talk, Dr. Asyura Salleh urged Malaysia to synchronise its maritime enforcement command centres, pioneer a regional fisheries management organisation, pursue confidence building and information-sharing efforts, and support land-based economic initiatives. Such efforts will allow Malaysia to achieve complete maritime domain awareness and develop smoother and immediate responses to traditional and non-traditional threats facing the country.

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