Citing information published by the “Asia Pacific Defense Journal”, the Malaysian Ministry of Defence has reportedly reviewed its planned acquisition of Turkish-made Yavuz 155mm self-propelled howitzers manufactured by the Defense Company Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi (MKE). For several years now, the Malaysian armed forces have launched a modernization plan with the acquisition of patrol aircraft and self-propelled howitzers.
Initially, it was reported that the project had been canceled. However, Malaysian Defense Minister Datuk Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan denied that the project had been fully terminated, stating that it was under review due to being negotiated by the previous government administration.
Over the past three decades, modernization programs have resulted in limited external defense capabilities for the Malaysian armed forces. However, the army continues to remain the primary service, reflecting a long-standing but outdated focus on counter-insurgency.
In December 2019, the previous government introduced the country’s first-ever defense white paper, which identified the three pillars of Malaysia’s defense strategy as concentric deterrence, comprehensive defense, and credible partnerships. These pillars encompass the armed forces’ role in safeguarding national interests across different zones, as well as whole-of-government and whole-of-society support for the national defense effort, and engagement in regional and international defense cooperation. The paper highlighted new defense challenges, such as cyber threats and tensions in the South China Sea, but did not provide any detailed insights into future resource allocation or capability development. Nonetheless, budgetary constraints are expected to continue limiting defense resources.
As per a written response, the Ministry of Finance has decided to cancel the intended purchase of self-propelled howitzer systems. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defense is continuing discussions about the project’s implementation via a Government-to-Government approach. Malaysia plans to purchase 16 to 19 wheeled self-propelled howitzers.