KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA January 16, 2026 – The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) today confirmed that it fully complies with the directive from the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to temporarily freeze procurement decisions for the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) that involve corruption issues.
In a media statement issued today and signed by the Minister of Defence, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, MINDEF stated that the ministry is currently obtaining further information and detailed explanations regarding the directive.
The ministry will examine the implementation details of the directive in line with the existing governance framework, financial regulations, and applicable legislation.
In the course of this review, MINDEF emphasised that it must give serious consideration to the need to ensure that the level of readiness and continuity of national defence operations remain intact and unaffected.
At the same time, the ministry will conduct an in-depth assessment of the implications of this decision on existing procurements, including contracts that have already been sealed, taking into account contractual obligations, current operational requirements, and national security interests as a whole.
The statement also noted that, as announced earlier this week, MINDEF is reviewing measures to improve the procurement process in order to strengthen governance and prevent any future leakages.
This statement is regarded as MINDEF’s official response to the Prime Minister’s recent directive, demonstrating an approach rooted in integrity without compromising the nation’s defence operational capabilities.
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