Fahmi: Govt orders immediate suspension of new defence procurements from Norway

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The government has agreed that the Defence Ministry suspend, with immediate effect, any procurement of new defence equipment or supplies from Norway, said Madani Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.

He said the decision was made during today’s Cabinet meeting following a review of the latest developments involving Norway’s cancellation of an export licence for missiles intended to be fitted on the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) vessels.

“The Cabinet has decided that the Defence Ministry suspend with immediate effect any procurement of new defence equipment or assets from Norway,” he said in a statement today.

Previously, the Norwegian government was reported to have cancelled the export licence for Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) for the LCS, on grounds of protecting the country’s national security interests.

Following the development, the Defence Ministry served a notice of claim amounting to approximately RM1 billion on the defence company concerned over the cancellation of the NSM procurement contract.

The ministry has also identified four countries with the potential to supply anti-ship missile systems for the LCS project following the cancellation. — Bernama