KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — The development of the local defence industry must continue to be strengthened to reduce the country’s dependence on imports while enhancing domestic manufacturing capabilities, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He said local companies had the potential to meet the country’s ammunition requirements, including those of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

Mohamed Khaled said this in a post on his official social media account after an industry visit to the KETECH Asia Sdn Bhd factory in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, today.

According to him, the company currently manufactures 5.56-millimetre (mm) and 9mm ammunition that meets global standards based on Nato specifications.

“I was also briefed on the company’s development roadmap, which includes the production of 7.62mm and 12.7mm ammunition, the development of propellants, as well as the manufacture of heavy artillery,” he said.

Mohamed Khaled said efforts to develop local components must be intensified to ensure the entire defence industry supply chain could be established domestically.

Strategic collaboration with higher education institutions in research and development (R&D), he said, was crucial to support the development of more competitive and self-reliant local defence technology.

“The effort is in line with the government’s and the Defence Ministry’s objectives under the National Defence Industry Policy (DIPN) to strengthen the local defence industry, meet the country’s strategic requirements and position Malaysia as part of the global defence industry supply chain,” he added. — Bernama