Singapore and Malaysian Armies Conclude Bilateral Exercise Semangat Bersatu

The 28th edition of Exercise Semangat Bersatu (XSB), an annual bilateral exercise between The Singapore Army and The Malaysian Army, was successfully conducted in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia from 18 to 26 Aug 2024. This year’s exercise involved over 800 personnel from the 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment, and the 5th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment. The exercise provided participants with opportunities for cross-sharing on weapon systems and latest infantry fighting techniques and culminated in the joint planning and execution of a combined battalion mission exercise.

SAF Chief of Army (COA) Major-General (MG) David Neo and MAF COA, General (GEN) Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Muhammad Hafizuddeain bin Jantan co-officiated the closing ceremony of XSB in Ladang Sungei Kluang this morning. MG Neo commended the soldiers displaying a high level of professionalism, discipline, and fighting spirit, and highlighted that the exercise has strengthened cooperation and people-to-people ties, “Our flagship bilateral exercise, Exercise Semangat Bersatu, provided valuable opportunities for our soldiers and unit to hone their tactical acumen, exchange best practices, and build camaraderie. The mutual understanding and friendship forged between soldiers serve as a strong foundation for our wider defence relationship.”

First held in 1989, XSB provides a valuable platform for both armies to strengthen professional interactions and underscores the warm and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and Malaysia. The Singapore Army and the Malaysian Army interact regularly across a range of activities, including bilateral exchanges, cross-attendance of courses and multilateral activities under the ambit of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)/ADMM-Plus and the Five Power Defence Arrangements.