KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18): The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) takes a serious view of the irresponsible actions of certain parties who have boldly spread speculative narratives on social media concerning strategic appointment matters within the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). In a statement Sunday, the ministry stressed that such actions, including circulating a list of senior MAF officers’ names, constituted misconduct that clearly undermines the credibility of the country’s defence management system. “Any appointments and promotions of MAF officers are subject to the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, as the Supreme Commander of the MAF, on the advice of the Armed Forces Council (MAT). “Therefore, any premature announcement is considered an act of disrespect towards the royal institution and the MAF leadership hierarchy,” the statement said. Mindef cautioned that the open dissemination of confidential or internal information could pose a threat to information security and national sovereignty.

Source: The Edge Markets January 18, 2026 12:08 UTC