Joint Forces commander Leftenan Jeneral Zahani Zainal Abidin shaking hands with Brig Jen Datuk Pahlawan Asri Shukor.
SUBANG: Ten officers from the Interim Observer Team (IOT) have departed for Cambodia to conduct a monitoring mission on the ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand.
Commissioner of the Joint Force, Lt Gen Datuk Zahani Zainal Abidin, said the team, led by Brig Gen Datuk Asri Shukor from the Malaysian Army, also include five Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) officers from all three branches - land, air and sea - as well as two military officers each from Indonesia and the Philippines.
"The IOT was established at the invitation of the Cambodian government, while negotiations with Thailand are still ongoing. Malaysia, as the lead nation, has been mandated to coordinate this mission together with Indonesia and the Philippines.
"We are also working to involve Singapore and Brunei in the near future," he told a press conference at the IOT Handover Ceremony at the Subang Air Base here on Wednesday (Sept 10).
The team departed at 11am on a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) C-130 Hercules transport aircraft bound for Phnom Penh in a flight that will take about three hours.
Zahani said the team would be stationed at two strategic locations in Cambodia - Preah Vihear and Banteay Meanchey - about 40 kilometres from the conflict border with Thailand.
Their task is to conduct daily and weekly patrols to ensure compliance with the ceasefire agreement, he added.
The Malaysian Interim Observer Team led by Brig Jen Datuk Pahlawan Asri Shukor during the sending off ceremony.
According to him, the establishment of the IOT underscores Asean's solidarity in promoting peaceful solutions through dialogue, as well as impartial and professional monitoring.
"This mission is temporary, with an initial deployment period of three months. However, it may be extended based on the situation on the ground and with the agreement of the host country, Cambodia," he said.
Zahani said the main challenge for the IOT is to ensure its reports remain neutral and credible, particularly since the team is stationed on the Cambodian side of the border, while Thailand has yet to agree to receive the IOT despite the Terms of Reference (TOR) being clearly outlined.
"We have reminded all team members to ensure their reports are completely neutral and unbiased. This mission symbolises Asean's commitment to supporting the peace process between the two countries," he said.
Zahani said the ATM's ability to quickly mobilise the observer team demonstrates a high level of readiness and professionalism, comparable to international monitoring teams.
"Like the United Nations (UN) observer teams, the IOT is unarmed and equipped only with four-wheel drive vehicles, radio communication systems, and other communication facilities necessary to carry out its observation and reporting duties professionally," he said. - Bernama
