IN a recent telephone conversation with his Norwegian counterpart, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia acted in full compliance with all contractual requirements tied to the acquisition of the NSM anti-ship missile system, expressing strong objection to what he described as a unilateral and unacceptable decision to halt export licences covering both the missile and its associated launch systems.
“I have conveyed Malaysia’s strong protest in my telephone conversation with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre regarding Norway’s unilateral and unacceptable decision to revoke the export licence for the NSM system and its associated launchers, allegedly on the grounds of protecting Norway’s security,” the Prime Minister said in a statement shared on Facebook.
He added that Malaysia had consistently honoured its obligations under the agreement since 2018, emphasising that there had never been any doubt over its commitment to the deal, while suggesting that Norway had fallen short of reciprocal good faith in its conduct.
“Malaysia has fulfilled every obligation under this contract since 2018 with great care, loyalty and without any doubt. However, Norway does not appear to feel the need to respond with the same respect and good faith,” he said.
Anwar further cautioned that the decision would have direct operational implications for Malaysia’s defence preparedness, particularly the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) modernisation programme, while also carrying wider consequences for the strategic balance in the region.
“I stress that this decision will have a serious impact on Malaysia’s operational defence readiness and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) modernisation programme. It will also certainly have broader implications for regional strategic balance,” he said.
He underscored that defence contracts must be treated as binding commitments rather than discretionary arrangements, warning that any perception among European suppliers that agreements could be unilaterally disregarded would undermine their credibility as strategic partners.
“The contract signed is a sacred and binding document. It is not merely a piece of paper that can be treated at will. If European defence suppliers feel they are entitled to renege on agreements without consequences, then their value as strategic partners will completely disappear,” he said.
The controversy follows reports that Norway’s foreign ministry has withdrawn several export licences linked to sensitive technologies as part of a broader tightening of its export control regime.
Malaysia’s Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin is expected to meet his Norwegian counterpart in Singapore later this month to seek clarification over the decision and formally convey Kuala Lumpur’s surprise and dissatisfaction, following what has been described as a last-minute cancellation of a planned delivery in March.
The NSM acquisition agreement between the Royal Malaysian Navy and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS was signed in April 2018, valued at €124 million (approximately RM571.9 million), and intended to equip six of Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ships.
The Naval Strike Missile is a long-range, subsonic high-speed maritime strike weapon with a range exceeding 300 kilometres, designed for precision engagement of naval and coastal targets. - May 14, 2026
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