Indonesia Has Plunged Itself into the US Trap, Is Malaysia Next?

On April 13, 2026, Indonesia signed a military agreement with the United States designated as the Major Defense Coordination Partnership (MDCP), a pact forged amidst the ongoing US-Iran war. Ascertainably, this is not merely a military agreement; rather, it harbours a distinct political agenda by the US to sustain itself against its decline following its assault on Iran, and the subsequent Iranian retaliation which evidently exceeded its calculations. The US is, in fact, growing desperate to preserve its waning hegemony, and regrettably, Indonesia has extended a lifeline to salvage it!

Indonesia may rationalize this as a mutually beneficial arrangement or a "win-win situation." However, in reality, the increasingly weakened US under Trump's leadership stands to reap manifold benefits compared to Indonesia, which is led by rulers bereft of astuteness and wisdom. It is highly improbable for the US to execute the MDCP without premeditated political, geopolitical, military, and economic calculus. This is evident from one perspective.

From another perspective, the Indonesian rulers, much like other Muslim rulers globally, have never factored in the principles of Halal (permissible) and Haram (forbidden) in their dealings with the US. In truth, signing any form of military agreement with the de facto belligerent state such as the US is unequivocally Haram in Islam. How is it conceivable for Indonesia to sign a military pact with an adversary while its hands remain stained with the blood of our brethren whom it has slaughtered?

It is blatantly evident that the US is striving to dominate the strategic choke point of the Strait of Malacca, following the loss of its control and influence over the Strait of Hormuz. The US cannot afford to lose another critical choke point that could compromise its global military and economic strategies. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has not only dealt a severe blow to the US but has also struck its partner nations, thereby directly impacting the US. What is even more aggravating for the US is that its own allies have held it culpable for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to its reckless assault on Iran.

A far greater blow has befallen the US as its allies have begun to turn their backs on it; even NATO itself has rejected its request to participate in the conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, the Arab rulers who have hitherto submitted abjectly to it have also taken measures to leave the US isolated, realizing the stark reality that their own country are no longer secure from Iranian missiles due to US instigation. Furthermore, they harbour profound anxieties that their citizens will rise up against them should they continue to collude with US folly.

This predicament has compelled the US to manoeuvre swiftly to consolidate military and political alliances with its remaining allies, making Indonesia one of its primary candidates. Indonesia serves as the optimal choice owing to Prabowo's prominent inclination to trail behind Trump. Prabowo had previously assented to the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) and joined the Trump-sponsored Board of Peace (BoP), despite facing vehement opposition from his own populace.

Compounded by the fact that Prabowo has never condemned the US-‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran, the US finds him highly favourable. In fact, Prabowo has not uttered the slightest condemnation against 'Israel', despite conclusive evidence that 'Israeli' forces were the perpetrators of the attack on UNIFIL troops which recently claimed the lives of three Indonesian soldiers. Hence, it is only logical for the US to entrench its hegemony over Indonesia, as an acolyte that remains steadfastly loyal.

Will Malaysia Take the Plunge Like Indonesia?

Observing the US's manoeuvres towards Indonesia, it is entirely plausible for the US to replicate this approach with Malaysia. To attain absolute control over the Strait of Malacca, the US necessitates simultaneous cooperation from both countries – Indonesia and Malaysia. Consequently, Malaysia harbours the potential to become the US's subsequent target. The US undeniably operates on the premise that, if Indonesia could so effortlessly dive into its trap, it is highly probable that Malaysia will follow suit, given the relatively comparable level of "astuteness" between Prabowo and Anwar.

Malaysia, historically, has not differed significantly from Indonesia concerning its bilateral relations with the US. In terms of military cooperation, Malaysia has long cultivated ties with the US, with joint Malaysia-US military exercises being conducted consistently on an annual basis. Even as Gaza was being decimated by the Jewish entity using US-supplied munitions, Malaysia steadfastly proceeded with its joint military exercises with the US, bereft of sympathy and devoid of guilt.

Furthermore, regarding trade relations, the US ranks among Malaysia's largest trading partners, trailing only behind China and Singapore, with a trade volume amounting to approximately RM 325 billion (roughly USD 70 billion) in 2024. In October 2025, Malaysia inked the ART with the US, an agreement that unequivocally demonstrates Kuala Lumpur's subjugation to Washington. Although the US Supreme Court has ruled that Trump's reciprocal tariffs are unconstitutional – rendering the ART with Malaysia consequently invalid – the Malaysian Prime Minister persists in his refusal to annul the ART with the US. Such is the depth of sympathy and intimacy Anwar shares with his dance partner, Trump.

Militarily, an alliance with Indonesia and Malaysia will facilitate the mobility of US armed forces across the Indo-Pacific. The US will be unburdened by the need to maintain permanent military bases in either country if comprehensive cooperation is firmly established. This, concurrently, will constrict China's operational latitude in Southeast Asia, particularly within the economic sphere. By dominating the Strait of Malacca, the US will effectively succeed in suppressing and curtailing China's regional influence.

Through the MDCP, the US will secure increasingly expansive and precise access to information and intelligence. This is because military collaborations inherently entail the exchange of maritime security data and the continuous monitoring of activities. For the US, this will augment its capacity to decipher the manoeuvres of other actors in the region, specifically China. It is profoundly tragic that Indonesia, as the largest Muslim-majority country, has wilfully hurled itself into the trap of the US, an entity that stands as its enemy, an enemy to Allah, an enemy to His Messenger, and an enemy to the Believers.

All these empirical facts underscore the high probability that Malaysia will be tethered by the US, alongside Indonesia. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that an identical military pact will be offered (read: imposed) by the US upon Malaysia. Even if such an offer is not formalized, Malaysia has, in truth, long submitted to the US and stands perennially ready to serve the US president with more reverence than a king, as demonstrated during every visit by the president of that de facto belligerent state to Malaysia.

Conclusion

Indeed, the betrayal and cowardice of the rulers of the Islamic Ummah worldwide is no longer a concealed matter; they themselves have repeatedly and blatantly paraded it, devoid of shame or guilt. The sole remaining imperative lies with this Ummah: whether to persist under the subjugation of these treacherous and cowardly rulers, or to work alongside Hizb ut Tahrir to replace these rulers with a Caliph, who will lead this Ummah towards triumph and glory, while simultaneously vanquishing and humiliating its enemies.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdul Hakim Othman
Official Spokesperson of Hizb ut Tahrir in Malaysia