SUNGAI BULOH: Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein will be visiting Saudi Arabia next month to discuss the Saudi-led alliance of 34 Islamic countries in combating terrorism.
The Defence Minister said the fight against terrorism was an issue concerning all Asean countries.
“I hope my counterparts from other Asean countries will be attending this meeting too.
“This initiative is similar to what Asean has been doing,” he said after attending the Army Veterans Welfare Corps (Perhebat) convocation ceremony at the Sungai Buloh army camp here yesterday.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Saudi Arabia announced the formation of a 34-nation Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism on its state news agency.
Hishammuddin said Saudi Arabia Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammad Salman Al Saud contacted him for Malaysia’s support on the alliance.
“We fully supported this initiative. I told him that this has always been Malaysia’s and Asean’s stand as well,” he said.
He stressed that supporting the alliance did not mean that Malaysia would be sending military troops or extraditing Malaysians suspected of terror activities to Saudi Arabia.
“We will not do anything that we are not comfortable with. However, we will decide on extradition on a case by case basis, which is a norm all these years,” he said.
On Perhebat, Hishammuddin said the welfare of army veterans after their retirement is important.
“That is why we are moving Perhebat to a new site in Rawang to provide them with better facilities and equipment in the next three years,” he said.
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