UK Deepens Defence Cooperation With Malaysia As HMS Spey Joins FPDA Exercise
PORT KLANG, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- The United Kingdom (UK) is deepening its defence cooperation with Malaysia through joint military exercises, maritime engagement and professional exchanges, as British Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey prepares to participate in Exercise Bersama Lima under the Five Powers Defence Arrangements (FPDA).
HMS Spey’s Commanding Officer, Commander Daniel Briscoe, said the vessel’s enduring deployment to the Indo-Pacific reflected the UK’s commitment to building long-term relationships with regional partners, particularly Malaysia, while strengthening maritime cooperation and contributing to regional stability.
“We are not simply passing through the region; we are here to work with our allies, learn from one another, and build trust that allows us to operate together when it matters,” he said during a reception hosted by British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma on board HMS Spey at the Port Klang Cruise Terminal (PKCT) on Thursday.
Briscoe said HMS Spey would participate in Exercise Bersama Lima alongside HMS Tamar, with the two vessels representing the Royal Navy in this year’s exercise.
He said the FPDA remained central to the wider UK-Malaysia defence relationship, with increasingly sophisticated multinational exercises helping participating countries enhance interoperability and preparedness.
“At the heart of our wider defence relationship is, of course, the Five Powers Defence Arrangement, a unique and enduring partnership.
“Its continued relevance comes from our willingness to evolve to meet future security challenges through increasingly sophisticated, multinational exercises,” he said.
During an earlier media tour of the vessel, British High Commission in Malaysia Defence Adviser British Army Colonel James Green said HMS Spey would also conduct a short bilateral exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) before its expected participation in Exercise Bersama Lima.
Green said the ship’s visit demonstrated Britain’s commitment to both its bilateral defence relationship with Malaysia and multilateral cooperation through the FPDA.
“It (FPDA) was born 55 years ago; its core purpose remains the same, which is the external defence of Malaysia and Singapore. However, how that defence is conducted has, of course, changed because technology has changed,” he said.
The FPDA brings together Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UK under a consultative defence framework focused on the external defence of Malaysia and Singapore through regular military exercises and defence cooperation.
Green said regular exercises enabled participating armed forces to exchange ideas, strengthen military capabilities and maintain personal relationships essential to effective cooperation during challenging situations.
During its visit to Port Klang since Tuesday (Sept 22), HMS Spey also hosted engagements with RMN personnel, including ship tours and exchanges between Malaysian officer cadets and junior British Royal Navy officers.
On maritime security, Green said Malaysia and the UK shared common interests as maritime nations whose economies depended heavily on the uninterrupted movement of goods across international waters.
He said respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), remained essential to protecting international shipping routes and regional economic stability.
Briscoe, meanwhile, said HMS Spey had been operating extensively in the South China Sea and Yellow Sea, conducting freedom of navigation operations in accordance with UNCLOS.
He said the vessel had undertaken multiple transits in the region while remaining on the high seas, adding that interactions with vessels from other nations had been safe and professional.
Briscoe also highlighted opportunities for deeper UK-Malaysia defence industrial cooperation, particularly in maritime, uncrewed and aviation capabilities, which could strengthen domestic capabilities, develop local expertise and encourage innovation.
He said professional military education, training and exchange programmes remained important pillars of bilateral defence cooperation, with several senior Malaysian military leaders having attended UK career courses.
Meanwhile, Sharma said HMS Spey’s port call reflected the strong bilateral relationship between Malaysia and the UK, as well as Britain’s continued commitment to regional security, peace and international law.
He said the UK’s continued presence in Southeast Asia was particularly significant against the backdrop of evolving regional and global security developments.
The deployment reflected the importance Britain placed on Malaysia, Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific, while highlighting efforts to modernise longstanding partnerships with countries in the region, he added.
“We have a centuries-long relationship with this region, with Malaysia, and every year, every day, we are thinking about how we can modernise that partnership,” he said.
HMS Spey, a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, has been deployed to the Indo-Pacific since 2021 alongside HMS Tamar as part of the Royal Navy’s enduring presence in the region.
-- BERNAMA
