Melaka: The Professional Interaction and Intellectual Discourse 2025 (PIID 2025) programme, organised by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) together with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), was held in Melaka recently to strengthen strategic relations and professional collaboration between the two nations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MAF Headquarters stated that the three-day programme, which began on Thursday (July 10) and was attended by 40 MAF and SAF senior officers, also aimed to enhance mutual understanding, build trust, and strengthen the network of cooperation between the senior officers.

The MAF Headquarters highlighted that the main event of the programme was the Intellectual Discourse session. This involved senior officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Major, or their equivalents, from both countries’ forces, along with the Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar and Singapore Chief of Defence Force Vice-Admiral Aaron Beng. Various issues were discussed, including potential ASEAN defence industry cooperation, post-crisis India-Pakistan relations, and great power rivalry in the South China Sea.

The statement from the MAF also indicated that the 2025 PIID marked the first-time involvement of mid-level officers as an effort to empower new strategic views and promote a spirit of camaraderie in a relaxed atmosphere. PIID 2025 underscores the commitment and unity of the MAF and SAF in efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation for regional peace and stability.

Furthermore, the statement emphasized that PIID 2025 serves as a crucial platform in formulating bilateral strategic thinking on regional security challenges and strengthening defence cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore.