KLUANG, 28 June 2026 – Minister of Defence, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin today attended the 'Karnival Hari Keluarga Kita' with Southern Zone members of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) at X-Park, Kluang, Johor.

More than 2,600 military personnel and their families were present to join the Minister of Defence at the recreation park. 

The hosting of this carnival is part of a strategic initiative by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the ATM through the Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) programme featuring the sports carnival for the whole ATM family. 

Far from being just a recreational activity, the hosting of the carnival, among others, supports the National Defence Strategic Plan (PSPN) 2026-2030 in achieving total civil-military cooperation.

In a press conference during the event, Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled said, "The issue of defending the country should not rely only on the Ministry of Defence, but there needs to be community participation.

"It's not that we are recommending the people to take up arms, but at least the community should become our eyes and ears, and help monitor vital areas in the country such as energy facilities and so forth.

The public must also ensure that they collectively contribute to national unity and avoid becoming factions that divide the nation, which would prevent the armed forces from focusing entirely on national defence.

"The relationship between the community and the armed forces is crucial, and this approach, among other things, successfully bridges that gap," he added.

Through the "Whole-of-Government, Whole-of-Society" (WoGoS) approach, this carnival becomes a strategic platform to disseminate the functions of the ATM in society and foster a spirit of patriotism as the foundation of holistic national resilience.

During the carnival, Dato' Seri Khaled visited the entire carnival area and participated in the ongoing activities with ATM members and their families.

Various interactive activities have been organised to strengthen ties between the military and the community, including modern sports such as pickleball, futsal and badminton, as well as traditional sports such as “galah panjang” and “sepak bulu ayam”, which aim to keep our local cultural heritage alive.

Overall, the organisation of the ATM family day carnival has successfully become a major platform to ensure the welfare and well-being of MINDEF Personnel. In addition, this program can also strengthen the support and spirit of defense personnel and open opportunities for the community to better understand the role of the ATM through their interactions with each other in maintaining peace, security and national sovereignty.

Also present at the carnival in Kluang were the Chief of General Staff of the Army's Western Field Command Headquarters, Major General Dato' Norsham bin Md Tap; Commander of the 7th Brigade, Brigadier General Dato' Zulhelmi bin Masdar; and Chief Engineer of the Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Ts. Sharuddin bin Mohd Noh.