Port calls by foreign warships nothing extraordinary, says minister

2026-03-18 - 10:02

Defence minister Khaled Nordin said port calls by foreign warships are part of defence diplomacy activities. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Defence minister Khaled Nordin has downplayed the presence of two US warships at the North Butterworth container terminal, saying port calls by foreign navy vessels are nothing extraordinary. Khaled said the two US littoral combat ships – the USS Santa Barbara and USS Tulsa – made the port call from March 14 to 16 for logistical purposes before continuing to their next destination. “There is nothing new about foreign navy vessels conducting port calls in Malaysian ports. This has long been a practice in defence relationships and international maritime travel. “This is also part of defence diplomacy activities related to confidence building and protecting the nation’s sovereignty,” he said in a statement. MORE TO COME