New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday his country would expand defence cooperation with Malaysia under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) and was deploying one its air force’s P8 Poseidon patrol and reconnaissance aircraft to Butterworth for a joint exercise.
“We have agreed on new cooperation to enhance efforts on transnational crime, counterterrorism and countering violent extremism,” he said at a joint news conference with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur.
Between 2022 and 2023, New Zealand received delivery of its four P8 Poseidon aircraft, built by American aerospace and defence firm Boeing, in an upgrade of its ageing P-3K2 Orion patrol aircraft that have been in operation since the 1960s.
In 1971, Malaysia and New Zealand joined the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA), a multilateral defense alliance that also includes Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The alliance’s air defence operation arm is headquartered at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Butterworth, Penang.
The five member nations regularly conduct naval, air, and infantry exercises under the agreement, which was expanded in 2004 to cover non-traditional areas such as counterterrorism, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.
Malaysia is New Zealand’s third-largest trade partner in Southeast Asia. New Zealand imports dairy products and halal-certified meats from Malaysia while exporting mainly mineral fuels and machinery to Malaysia. Last year, bilateral trade between Malaysia and New Zealand reached NZ$4.8 billion (US$3 billion), according to data from Wellington’s foreign affairs and trade office.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Malaysian counterpart during a visit to the country, Luxon also stressed the need to see an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
(With inputs from Reuters)
