Turkey and M’sia to boost defence ties

KUALA LUMPUR: Defence relations between Malaysia and Turkey will be elevated to a more focused and structured level, said Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

The Defence Minister said the enhancements would include strengthening and coordinating defence industries, improving military-to-military cooperation and tackling strategic matters of interest.

Hishammuddin was on his inaugural working visit to Turkey.

“I had a productive bilateral meeting with my Turkish counterpart Fikri Isik.

“We also discussed counter-measures against the threat of the Islamic State.

“We agreed that returning fighters from territories lost in Iraq and Syria pose a serious threat to Muslim countries that uphold democracy,” he said in a statement yesterday.