KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia has urged Norway to help expedite a refund for the cancelled missile procurement deal, with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin insisting that Oslo cannot absolve itself of responsibility.<\/p>\n
Khaled said he had recently met Norway\u2019s Defence Minister and conveyed Malaysia\u2019s position that the Norwegian government\u2019s refusal to approve an export licence was the root cause of the issue.<\/p>\n
“The source of everything is Norway\u2019s decision not to approve the export licence to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
“Therefore, Norway cannot wash its hands of this matter because its decision caused the problem,” he told a press conference after a meeting here on Tuesday (June 2).<\/p>\n
ALSO READ: M’sia has every right pursue compensation over collapsed NSM deal, says Khaled\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The issue stems from Norway\u2019s refusal to approve an export licence for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system that Malaysia bought for its littoral combat ships.<\/p>\n Khaled said he had told his Norwegian counterpart that if Norway was sincere about maintaining good bilateral relations with Malaysia, it should help facilitate the refund process.<\/p>\n He suggested that the Norwegian government consider advancing the repayment before seeking reimbursement from the company involved.<\/p>\n “The company that cannot fulfil the contract is a Norwegian company. As a government, Norway can negotiate with the company rather than force Malaysia to wait indefinitely,” he added.<\/p>\n According to Khaled, the funds are needed to secure an alternative missile system for the Royal Malaysian Navy.<\/p>\n ALSO READ: <\/a>Malaysia raises concerns over double standards in international law at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Norwegian officials had described the dispute as a matter between Malaysia and the company concerned.<\/p>\n Khaled stressed that the issue extended beyond any financial loss incurred by Malaysia.<\/p>\n He said it raised broader questions about whether defence contracts and international agreements could still be relied upon if governments intervened after deals had been signed and payments made.<\/p>\n “If contracts and agreements are not respected, it will affect confidence in the international system and the rule of law,” he said.<\/p>\n Khaled estimated Malaysia\u2019s direct losses at more than RM600mil, with indirect costs pushing the overall impact beyond RM1bil.<\/p>\n He said additional expenses would arise from sourcing a replacement missile system, integrating it with the navy\u2019s existing systems, and conducting fresh training programmes.<\/p>\n