KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Cendana Auto Sdn Bhd and Finnish company SISU Auto has formalised an inaugural strategic collaboration aimed at advancing Malaysia’s defence industrial capabilities through joint technology development, engineering excellence and localisation of defence vehicle platforms.
Aligned with Malaysia’s agenda to strengthen defence self-reliance and industrial resilience, the collaboration will focus on building in-country capabilities across the full value chain, from research and development (R&D) and engineering to assembly, manufacturing and lifecycle support.
At the core of the partnership is a joint development and engineering programme, which will see both parties collaborate on the design and adaptation of advanced vehicle platforms, including Right-Hand Drive (RHD) configurations tailored to regional operational requirements.
Cendana Auto chief executive officer Fairuz Abd Razak said the collaboration would also be leveraged to expand local talent development through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes and the involvement of veterans from the Malaysian Armed Forces.
“For now, about 30 per cent of our technical team are from TVET institutions, such as GIAT MARA and IKBN (Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara). All the students will be involved in the development of these kinds of vehicles.
“With all the young people coming in, we need them to feel the new technology of defence, especially for the local industry,” he said when met by Bernama at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security Exhibition (NATSEC) Asia 2026 here today.
The programme will emphasise structured technology transfer, co-development of systems and sub-systems and the progressive development of local intellectual property.
A key pillar of the collaboration is the localisation of production and support capabilities in Malaysia, with Cendana Auto set to expand and enhance its facilities to support local assembly and manufacturing, including Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) programmes, while strengthening the domestic vendor ecosystem and supply chain.
SISU Auto vice-president Jyri Ahonen added that knowledge and technology transfer are essential to ensure long-term sustainability and operational readiness of the vehicle fleet in Malaysia.
“The transfer of technology and knowledge is an essential part of Cendana being capable of providing lifecycle support during the whole existence of the vehicle fleet in the country. So, that is essential, of course,” he said.
Ahonen also described Cendana Auto as a natural partner, citing its proven capabilities and experience in the vehicle industry.
