Malaysia is expected to sign several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Japan pertaining to the military industry by the end of this year, the New Straits Times reports. Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said that the MoUs are part of ongoing efforts by Malaysia to boost military cooperation between both nations. Japan was the first country visited by Mahathir Mohamad after he became prime minister. His visit was seen as a sign of Malaysia moving away from China. The preliminary reading of the tea leaves suggests that Mahathir will continue to pursue friendly economic and diplomatic relations with China but will nevertheless protect Malaysia’s national interests in other areas such as the South China Sea disputes, writes Tang Siew Mun for Khmer Times.