The MH370 tragedy has tested the mechanisms of bilateralism and regionalism, and they have not been found wanting, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

Opening the Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference (DSA) 2014 here on Sunday night, he said incidents like the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines aircraft served as a reminder about the fragility of life and the need to value the ties between nations.

"Through our anguish, one thing is clear: the world is a community, and we are its citizens," Hishammuddin, who is acting transport minister, said.

In this connection, he said Malaysia felt that the need for increased strategic inter-government collaboration has never been more pressing in today's global, hyperconnected security landscape.

The minister noted that although it was too early to be talking about lessons learnt from the MH370 episode, two things were clear.

"We should always be prepared to face any threat which may come anytime in any shape or size," Hishammuddin said.

Leadership in the defence industry needed to be steered into a mindset to never be again caught off guard against any eventuality or circumstance.

Pointing out that no nation could do this alone, he said: "As much as governments all around the world would like to devote resources to building up defence capabilities, there is a need to balance this agenda with other domestic priorities."

Hishammuddin said this was where it was important to cultivate good ties on both the defence and diplomatic tracks with other nations.

Flight MH370 with 239 people aboard vanished from civilian radar screens about an hour into its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing flight on March 8, prompting a multinational search that is now focused on the southern Indian Ocean, in waters off the Australian city of Perth.

Coming back to DSA 2014, Hishammuddin described it as a premier platform designed to enhance bilateral relations and promote a higher level of commitment towards global defence.

Noting that Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean in 2015 would coincide with the advent of the Asean Economic Community, he said this was something not to be taken lightly.

Malaysia, he said, believed strongly in a people-centric Asean whose initiatives - whether social, cultural, economic or defence and security - would be inclusive.

"We want an Asean that places Southeast Asia's inherent diversity of cultures and people at its core."

Hishammuddin highlighted the setting up, for the first time, of the Asean Hall within DSA.

Saying that this was a Malaysian initiative, he expressed hope that "this small gesture" would mark the continuing and strengthening of cooperation between Asean countries.

Billed as Asia's largest defence exhibition, DSA 2014 runs from Monday until Thursday at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).