This is the forum that brings together the highest echelon of the Malaysian armed forces, the most senior officers in the nation’s defence, all in one room.  DCDS – M met them to establish a connection at this rare level, and a strong one was built.  The aim was access of the highest order, to be known and trusted by the people who sit right at the top of the sector, where strategy is set and priorities are decided.  DCDS – M came prepared to earn credibility in that room, because access at this level is never given lightly and is never easily won.  A strong connection with senior leadership is the single most valuable asset in this whole arena, it shapes what becomes possible across every other conversation.  This meeting placed the coalition in front of the decision-shapers themselves, and the strong rapport built here lifts the standing of everything DCDS – M does elsewhere.  By some distance, it was one of the most significant moments in the entire program.