PH, Malaysia cites pact vs ‘malign influence and interference’ — DND

Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

MANILA, Philippines — Notwithstanding the territorial disputes between two nations, the Philippines and Malaysia are continuing to work together on several fronts including cybersecurity to fight against “malign influence and interference.”

Such remarks were made during the meeting of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his Malaysian counterpart Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat on Feb. 26, Wednesday.

READ: Sabah court to try Filipinos in standoff

“Acknowledging the territorial disputes between the Philippines and Malaysia, Secretary Teodoro emphasized that both nations continue to work together diplomatically and constructively, allowing them to engage in discussions on other critical issues,” the Department of National Defense (DND) said in a statement on Thursday.

The Sulu sultanate once controlled Sabah, with its heirs receiving a nominal yearly compensation package from Malaysia under a long-standing agreement for possession of the area. But in 2013, forces led by Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram stormed Lahad Datu in Sabah to assert their claims in Sabah. The standoff went on for over a month and killed about a dozen of Kiram’s followers.

READ: PH should pursue claim over North Borneo—Sultan Kiram II

Nevertheless, the DND said Teodoro and Khaled Nordin reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering defense relations, particularly in maritime security, counter-terrorism efforts, and capacity-building programs.

Also, both defense chiefs “welcomed cooperation in human capital development, particularly in cybersecurity, to strengthen resilience against malign influence and interference.”

Meanwhile, DND said Khaled Nordin lauded Teodoro’s call for Asean unity in his speech at the ADMM Retreat, stating that this should serve as a guide for every member state to reflect on. Sheba Barr, INQUIRER.net trainee