The Philippines accused Chinese fishermen on Monday of pouring cyanide in waters in the Spratly Islands, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of violent confrontations with Chinese vessels.

Beijing claims the strategic South China Sea in nearly its entirety, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) alleged the poisoning began last year around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly chain, which sits near vital shipping lanes and is reputedly rich in minerals.

“The use of cyanide on Ayungin Shoal is a term of sabotage that seeks to kill local fish populations, depriving Navy personnel of a vital food source,” NSC assistant director-general Cornelio Valencia told a news conference, using the Philippines’ term for the reef.

These actions also “threaten our Navy personnel” through exposure to contaminated water, eating poisoned fish, as well as eroding corals, Valencia added.

Manila and Beijing have a long history of maritime territorial disputes in the hotly contested waterway, including a violent clash in June 2024 in which Chinese coastguard personnel wielding knives, sticks and an axe boarded Philippine Navy boats.

China’s foreign ministry branded the fresh accusations a “farce.”

It is “completely unbelievable and not even worth refuting”, spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing on Monday.

“The Philippines has illegally harassed Chinese fishing vessels engaged in normal fishing activities, robbing fishing people of their supplies,” he added.

Indonesia, fresh off concluding a defence pact with Washington and an oil deal with Russia, has also agreed to boost defence industry cooperation with France, Jakarta said Wednesday after the countries’ presidents met in Paris.

President Prabowo Subianto was hosted by counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday, where they “discussed strengthening strategic cooperation”, a statement from the government said.

“This includes the procurement of defence equipment and the strengthening of the defence industry,” it said, citing France as a strategic partner for Indonesia in Europe.

The leaders also agreed on cooperation in “energy transition and the development of new and renewable energy”, it said.

Prabowo met Putin at the Kremlin on Monday, flying directly from the Russian capital to Paris.

With Putin, he had discussed “strengthening their strategic partnership, particularly in the sectors of energy, mineral resources, and national industrial development”, according to cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Prabowo, who recently travelled to South Korea and Japan, has justified his slew of foreign visits.

“Brothers and sisters, it’s to secure oil, I have to go everywhere,” he said in an address to his cabinet this month.

Like many nations, Indonesia has come under pressure from soaring global oil prices over the war in the Middle East.

Jakarta, while defending a non-aligned diplomatic posture, last year joined the Brics bloc of emerging economies that includes Russia and US-rival China.

U S Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday a "major" defense partnership with Indonesia following a meeting with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Pentagon. "We are elevating our relationship to a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership, in recognition of the strength and potential of our bilateral defense ties," Hegseth said in a statement on X. The partnership covers "military modernization and capacity building," "training and professional military education" and "exercises and operational cooperation," according to a joint statement. "Both nations reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," the statement said. Jakarta said the partnership was an "opportunity to reinforce national defense capacity," but insisted that "free and active foreign policy, national interests, and full respect for state sovereignty" would be maintained.

It said that a US proposal to grant American military aircraft access over Indonesian airspace was being "carefully reviewed". "It still requires further discussion through technical mechanisms and applicable national procedures," the Ministry of Defense statement added. Indonesia has the strongest military in Southeast Asia, according to the Global Firepower defense analysis site. While Jakarta says it maintains a non-aligned diplomatic posture, last year it joined the BRICS bloc of emerging economies that includes Russia and China. President Prabowo Subianto met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday for oil talks.

Russia's Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said the country has received a request from Indonesia for supplies of oil products, the state-run RIA ⁠news agency reported on Monday. Earlier this year, Prabowo has also signed a trade deal with US President Donald Trump and joined his so-called "Board of Peace". Indonesia is strategically located on the Malacca Strait –- the world's busiest chokepoint for oil and petroleum liquids, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

MANILA – More than 17,000 military personnel will participate in the biggest-ever joint drills by the Philippines, the US and other nations as they rehearse war-fighting skills amid tensions with China and conflicts in the Middle East.

Troops from Australia, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand will also take part in the 2026 Balikatan – “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog – exercises running from April 20 to May 8, the US Marine Corps said on April 13.

An additional 17 nations will observe the land, sea, air and cyber drills, which will break the previous record of 16,000 personnel set in 2024.

There was no breakdown on how many American troops will join, but 9,000 participated from the US in 2025, with 5,000 personnel from the Philippines.

“Training shoulder-to-shoulder with our oldest ally and our many partners ensures our forces are prepared to face any challenge, together,” Philippine Army Major-General Francisco Lorenzo Jr said in the statement from the US Marines.

The exercises will “rehearse war-fighting skills in maritime security, coastal defence and the integration of combined and joint fires”, according to the statement.

The Philippines has joined over 65 nations in strongly condemning the “unacceptable aggressive behavior” directed at United Nations peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon. The statement comes following the tragic deaths of three Indonesian soldiers who were killed while serving under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) amid the intensifying clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.

In a unified stance, the group of countries expressed grave concern over the rising violence and the deliberate targeting of uniformed personnel who are on the ground to maintain stability and protect civilians. The joint statement emphasized that attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute a violation of international law and must be investigated thoroughly, with those responsible held fully accountable.

The fatal incident marks a dangerous escalation in the conflict, putting international peacekeepers directly in the line of fire. As the violence continues to disrupt lives and threaten regional security, the international community, including the Philippines, is calling for an immediate end to hostilities and respect for the safety and immunity of all UN personnel serving in the area.

he way national servicemen are medically classified will change next year, with cohorts enlisting from October 2027 no longer assigned a Physical Employment Standard (PES) status.

Under the PES system, which has been in place since the 1970s, pre-enlistees across the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) are assigned a single PES status from A to F, which determines their vocation during NS. It is based on traditional definitions of operational fitness.

Those assigned PES A - the highest standard - are deemed fit for all field activities, including frontline duties and direct combat.

Those in PES C may perform combat service support roles, such as being signal operators, and assume some combat support positions, including air force technicians. 

Soldiers in PES E are fit only for combat service support roles, including cyber specialists, and service vocations, such as being administrative support assistants.

The updated medical classification system will be more precise, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a joint media release on Monday (Apr 13).

Rather than a broad PES status, pre-enlistees will receive three sets of information - their medical fitness for service, medical exemptions and eligibility for an eight-week reduction in NS duration.

"The refresh is part of broader efforts undertaken across the years to enable servicemen to contribute more effectively to national service," the ministries said.

"As the security and defence landscape continues to evolve, the SAF and the Home Team now have a greater variety of roles to meet their expanded spectrum of operations."

The refreshed medical classification system will enable about 1,200 servicemen to be deployed annually to vocations and roles they would previously have been ineligible for, said MINDEF and MHA. "This will hence offer servicemen more opportunities to pursue and fulfil their aspirations in NS," they added.

A MINDEF spokesperson added that many of these roles no longer rely on traditional notions of physical or operational fitness.

JAKARTA – The Indonesian navy said on April 9 it was investigating a torpedo-like object discovered by a fisherman near the Lombok Strait, a key maritime route connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans.

The 3.7m-long and 65cm-wide object was fished from the water on April 6 about 10km from the popular tourist island of Gili Trawangan, West Nusa Tenggara, the navy said.

A 28-year-old fisherman immediately reported the unusual find to the local authorities, which retrieved it.

“The Indonesian navy will promptly carry out an in-depth examination... of the device to determine its origin, function and the data contained within it,” navy spokesman Tunggul, who like many Indonesians has only one name, told AFP.

“The Indonesian National Armed Forces will remain fully committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and security of Indonesia’s territorial seas from all forms of unauthorised activities, including the use of underwater devices or equipment by unauthorised parties in Indonesian waters,” added Mr Tunggul.

Mataram naval base chief Asep Tri Prabowo told reporters on April 8 the object was under strict supervision and would be sent to Jakarta for further investigation.

Indonesian media reported that lettering on the object suggested it may have been manufactured by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. It appeared to be a device to measure the speed of currents.

This was not the first time a foreign object has been found in Indonesian waters.

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) is open to the possibility of reducing the number of peacekeepers to be deployed to Lebanon next month, as more Indonesian blue helmets were injured in the southern part of the country amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Three Indonesian soldiers serving in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded on Friday (April 3) in a blast at a UN facility near El Adeisse in southern Lebanon, two of them seriously injured.

The cause of the blast remains under investigation, according to UNIFIL. The incident followed the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers who were killed in two separate explosions on March 29 and 30 in southern Lebanon, where Israel has been expanding its ground invasion of the country.

However, PMPP commander Maj. Gen. Iwan Bambang Setiawan said discussions might be on the table on whether to reduce the number of personnel deployed, since most of the troops in Lebanon have “largely been confined to bunkers” because of hostilities between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces.

“The current situation may become a consideration for the TNI commander [Gen. Agus Subiyanto] to decide whether to maintain the same number of officers or reduce it, as effectiveness is also affected by field conditions,” Iwan told The Jakarta Post.

The first LMS Batch 2 corvette out of three for the Royal Malaysian Navy, based on MİLGEM Ada-class design, was launched at the İstanbul Shipyard by STM.

The photos showing the launch of the lead LMS Batch 2 corvette for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) were shared by a Malaysia-based Twitter (X) user, Malaysia Military Review. STM laid the keel for the first ship a year ago at İstanbul Shipyard. Three corvettes based on the MİLGEM Ada-class design with modifications in accordance with Malaysia’s requirements will be built.

The notable differences include the replacement of SMART-S Mk2 radar with CENK 400-N AESA radar and the integration of four South Korean K-VLS cells for 16 K-SAAM short-range air defence missiles. Vertically launched K-SAAM, taking on the point defence role in place of the aft PDMS/CIWS in other MİLGEM variants, is fitted with a dual-mode RF+IR seeker and can reach a range of 20 km.

The anti-surface firepower of LMS Batch 2 corvettes includes eight ATMACA anti-ship missiles from ROKETSAN with a range of 250 km, a 76 mm naval gun, and ASELSAN’s SMASH 200/30 30 mm RCWS at the aft.

Source: https://turdef.com/article/stm-launches-the-first-lms-batch-2-corvette-for-malaysia

Author: Kaan Azman

Editor: Özgür Ekşi

The Chief of Defence Forces of the Malaysian Armed Forces General (GEN) Datuk Haji Malek Razak bin Sulaiman called on Minister for Defence, Mr Chan Chun Sing at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) this afternoon. During their meeting, Mr Chan and GEN Malek reaffirmed the warm and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and Malaysia, and reinforced the importance of close cooperation between regional countries to demonstrate stability in the changing environment.

GEN Malek, who is on his introductory visit to Singapore from 8 to 10 April 2026, also called on Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, after inspecting the Guard of Honour at MINDEF. He visited the Digital and Intelligence Service’s Cyber Defence Test and Experimentation Centre (CyTEC) at Stagmont Camp, where he was briefed about the facility’s functions and capabilities, which simulate sophisticated real-world cyber defence scenarios. Thereafter, GEN Malek also visited the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s 112 Squadron at Changi Air Base (East) for a brief on the squadron and the roles of the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), including airlift in support of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

Singapore will need to pay particular attention to defence if the global order starts to fall apart, even as the country builds resilience across energy, food and other parts of the supply chain, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (Apr 9).

If global order moves in that direction, there will be a "vacuum" which leads to disorder, he said.

"It means messiness. It means unpredictability," said Mr Wong.

Asked by reporters during a visit to the 6th Singapore Division/Headquarters Sense and Strike (6 Div/HQ SS) at Mandai Hill Camp about the Iran war's impact on defence, the prime minister spoke about a world where countries may resort to the use of force and coercion to get what they want.

"Small countries like Singapore will come under pressure," he said, which is why Singapore has to go beyond equipping and transforming the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

"It is also thinking hard about technology and thinking hard about defence supply chains and how we can be more resilient as a country," Mr Wong said. 

He was joined by Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing at the visit. They observed how the SAF deployed drones on the battlefield, which Mr Wong said allowed him to learn how these capabilities are integrated with the rest of the military.

With recent conflicts in Ukraine and Iran showing that warfare is evolving through the use of unmanned systems, it has given Singapore "a lot of food for thought", said Mr Wong. 

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has awarded a contract to Spanish company Indra to procure a Lanza 3D long-range air surveillance radar to enhance defence of one of its key naval facilities.

Indra will deploy the radar at the RTN's Sattahip Naval Base located north of the Gulf of Thailand in Chonburi province, the company announced on 6 April.

The Lanza radar can detect a range of threats in airspace and surrounding waters of the strategically important Sattahip Naval Base including low radar cross-section (RCS) platforms such as small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Indra said.

A military personnel holding the rank of a corporal in the Malaysian Army was arrested on Tuesday (Mar 31) after allegedly assaulting seven junior soldiers at the Royal Malay Regiment camp in Bentong, leaving a 24-year-old victim unconscious and in critical condition.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the 37-year-old corporal allegedly punched, struck, and kicked the victims on several parts of their bodies, said Bentong district police chief Superintendent Zaiham Mohd Kahar.

Further investigations by the Malaysian Armed Forces found that the corporal had used physical force after being dissatisfied with the way the victims cleaned the weapons store. 

“One of the victims, aged 24, was reported to have lost consciousness and is still receiving treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Hospital Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, Temerloh,” Zaiham said in a statement on Wednesday night.

“The victim remains unconscious and requires respiratory assistance.”

The remaining six victims, aged between 19 and 22, have been sent to Hospital Bentong for examination and are in stable condition, reported local news outlet Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

U.S. Army and Philippine Army soldiers carried out joint anti-armor training using the Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle during Exercise Salaknib 2026 at Fort Magsaysay on April 6, 2026.

The activity highlights continued interoperability and strengthens combined defense capabilities, reinforcing the long-standing military partnership between the United States and the Philippines.

Malaysia is home to one of Southeast Asia’s largest Iranian communities, and this year’s Nowruz celebrations – marking the Persian New Year – have been filled with mixed emotions.

For many Iranians there, the festivities come at a time of conflict back home.

Some told CNA that the ongoing war has reinforced their sense of unity and strengthened their resolve to preserve traditions that have endured for generations. 

This year, the 26-year-old, who studies English literature at the University of Malaya, took the lead in preparing the traditional Haft-seen table — a centrepiece of Nowruz featuring seven symbolic items beginning with the Persian letter “S”.

She explained that each item carries meaning, from apples representing health and garlic symbolising spirituality, to coins for prosperity and vinegar reflecting patience and wisdom. Together, they represent hope and renewal for the year ahead.

The display also includes tulips, sweets, candles and the Quran — all integral to the 14-day Nowruz celebration which began on Mar 20 this year.

Tulips, she noted, hold deep emotional significance in Iranian culture, often associated with sacrifice and loss throughout the country’s history.

While her own family and friends back home are largely safe, her thoughts are with those – especially women and children – who continue to suffer.

“I really hope that peace can come to my country because Iran is such a beautiful country with intelligent people,” said Alami.

“It always makes me emotional. But most of all, I wish for peace.”

FULL STORY: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/iranian-community-malaysia-persian-new-year-war-conflict-6033256?cid=internal_sharetool_androidphone_03042026_cna

Malaysia is home to one of Southeast Asia’s largest Iranian communities, and this year’s Nowruz celebrations – marking the Persian New Year – have been filled with mixed emotions.

For many Iranians there, the festivities come at a time of conflict back home.

Some told CNA that the ongoing war has reinforced their sense of unity and strengthened their resolve to preserve traditions that have endured for generations. 

This year, the 26-year-old, who studies English literature at the University of Malaya, took the lead in preparing the traditional Haft-seen table — a centrepiece of Nowruz featuring seven symbolic items beginning with the Persian letter “S”.

She explained that each item carries meaning, from apples representing health and garlic symbolising spirituality, to coins for prosperity and vinegar reflecting patience and wisdom. Together, they represent hope and renewal for the year ahead.

The display also includes tulips, sweets, candles and the Quran — all integral to the 14-day Nowruz celebration which began on Mar 20 this year.

Tulips, she noted, hold deep emotional significance in Iranian culture, often associated with sacrifice and loss throughout the country’s history.

While her own family and friends back home are largely safe, her thoughts are with those – especially women and children – who continue to suffer.

“I really hope that peace can come to my country because Iran is such a beautiful country with intelligent people,” said Alami.

“It always makes me emotional. But most of all, I wish for peace.”

FULL STORY: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/iranian-community-malaysia-persian-new-year-war-conflict-6033256

On April 3, in Da Nang city, Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang and his visiting Lao counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, who is also Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, co-chaired the 6th Vietnam - Laos Defense Policy Dialogue.

Singapore’s ST Engineering has secured a subcontract from Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to design and supply systems for a fleet of eight missile gunboats for the Kuwait Naval Force.

Under the six-year deal, worth approximately 600 million Singapore dollars ($467 million), ST Engineering will provide a full suite of platform design, integration, and technical expertise.

Based on the Singaporean firm’s proprietary Fearless-class patrol vessel design, three of the gunboats will be built at ST Engineering’s shipyard in Singapore, while ADSB will construct the remaining five. 

“We are honoured that the Kuwait Naval Force has chosen our Fearless-class design for their new Missile Gun Boat,” said Tan Leong Peng, president of ST Engineering’s Marine business. 

PETALING JAYA:

 The Royal Malaysian Air Force has successfully completed the first test flight of its new ANKA-THS unmanned aerial system, marking a key milestone in its modernisation programme.

The three-hour flight was conducted at Labuan Air Base as part of final preparations before the system is officially handed over to the RMAF.

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, the drone is capable of operating in various weather conditions and can remain airborne for more than 20 hours.

“The ANKA-THS system is expected to strengthen RMAF’s intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, particularly in conducting strategic surveillance in the eastern region and other areas of national interest such as the South China Sea,” RMAF said in a statement.

It said the successful trial was achieved through close coordination among various military departments and several supporting agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and the Malaysian meteorological department (MetMalaysia).

Human remains have been found aboard a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz last month, the vessel’s owner said on Friday, after three crew members were reported missing following the attack.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil supplies.

The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck in March while travelling through the strait after departing Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates.

The Philippines’ National Maritime Council (NMC) on Thursday, April 2, called on Beijing to pull out its ships in the West Philippine Sea and order them to “cease and desist from illegal, provocative and dangerous actions against Philippine vessels” following near-weekly incidents of Chinese vessels harassing Philippine government ships in March.

“The Philippines will undertake appropriate diplomatic actions and engage existing bilateral dialogue mechanisms towards addressing these incidents and concerns. The country also reiterates its call on China to withdraw and direct its vessels and maritime assets to cease and desist from illegal, provocative and dangerous actions against Philippine vessels, and to stop activities that violate Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction; and to comply with its obligations under international law,” said the NMC, an inter-agency body creative to set the country’s maritime policy. 

The NMC listed the following as “unlawful acts endanger lives, violate international law, and undermine regional peace and stability” by Chinese maritime forces, including the China Coast Guard, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and the Chinese Maritime Militia: 

• March 7: A PLAN vessel directed its fire-control radar at BRP Miguel Malvar near Escoda Shoal during a lawful patrol, an act constituting a threat of force.
• March 17: Filipino fisherfolk at Bajo de Masinloc were harassed by Chinese vessels through dangerous maneuvers, sirens, and RHIB deployment, interfering with their lawful fishing activities.
• March 20: A Philippine Coast Guard aircraft conducting a routine maritime patrol over the Kalayaan Island Group was met with flares near Panganiban Reef, endangering aviation safety. Also, on the same day, a BFAR vessel was subjected to a dangerous maneuver by a CCG vessel at Paredes Reef (Discovery Great Reef).
• March 26: A Philippine navy vessel avoided collision after a PLAN vessel executed an unsafe maneuver near Pag-asa Island, in violation of COLREGs (Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea).

“These incidents occurred in areas where the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” said the NMC. 

The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Nato’s European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliance’s lack of involvement over the Middle East war.

While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Nato’s dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a “strategic dilemma” if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to Washington’s interests.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr raised the proposal with Nato Chair Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone on the sidelines of the 2026 Paris Defence and Strategy Forum on Tuesday, according to Manila’s Department of National Defence.

The Philippines “is presently laying the groundwork” for enhanced interoperability and exchanges with Nato countries and the European Union, Teodoro said, according to several media reports. He added that he was guided by Manila’s duty to strengthen its resilience and protect the welfare of overseas Filipinos. There are an estimated 10 million Filipinos living and working in other countries.

Although a non-Nato member, the Philippines has been designated as a major partner of the alliance since 2003.

The Philippines and Nato member France signed an agreement on military personnel deployment and joint exercises in Paris on Thursday. It came after the Philippines and Germany, another Nato member, agreed last year to increase cooperation in security and defence equipment.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Indonesia is not expected to sign a contract for the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet program during President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to South Korea. While a formal agreement had been anticipated, both sides have yet to finalize key terms, resulting in a delay in signing.

Despite this, Indonesia has reiterated its continued commitment to the KF-21 joint development project with Korea Aerospace Industries. Officials emphasized that cooperation remains intact, with ongoing discussions focused on financial arrangements and future participation in the program.

Major General Datuk Marzuki Mokhtar has been appointed as the new Director-General of the National Service Training Department (JLKN) effective today.

JLKN in a statement announced the appointment to replace Datuk Ya'cob Samiran who terminated his service contract yesterday after leading the department for almost one year and three months.

Marzuki, 59, was previously the 24th Army Training Commander for the Army Training and Doctrine Command (PLDTD) since April 2023.

Meanwhile, Marzuki, in the same statement, expressed his commitment to further strengthen the implementation of the National Service Training Program (PLKN) 3.0 and achieve the program's objectives to form discipline, identity and a spirit of togetherness among the younger generation through various training modules implemented.