On Thursday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed strong disapproval toward Norway following its decision to cancel an export license related to Malaysia’s acquisition of Naval Strike Missile systems. These systems are a critical component of Malaysia’s efforts to enhance its military capabilities.
Prime Minister Anwar voiced his concerns during a phone call with his Norwegian counterpart, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. He described the revocation of the export license as a unilateral move by Norway that he deemed unacceptable. Anwar highlighted that this decision was made under the pretext of safeguarding Norway’s security interests, a rationale he found unconvincing.
The revoked license pertains to the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system and its associated launcher systems, which were intended to be part of Malaysia’s broader military modernization program. This program is aimed at upgrading the country’s defense infrastructure to meet contemporary security challenges.
In his statement, Anwar emphasized Malaysia’s strong objection to Norway’s actions, indicating that the decision could have significant implications for the bilateral relations between the two nations. He took to the social media platform X, popular in the United States, to share his concerns, underscoring the gravity of the situation from Malaysia’s perspective.