KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has drawn up two options for managing its assets once the Malaysian Battalion (MalBatt) mission in Lebanon concludes at the end of 2026, says Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari.
He said part of the equipment deployed under the United Nations peacekeeping mission would be brought home for use by the army, while other assets would remain in Lebanon based on operational needs.
“The purchase of 10 new vehicles has been approved under Budget 2026.
“Some assets will be left behind depending on current requirements, which is why the procurement plan was approved,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Nov 26).
Adly said the first option involves bringing back both personnel and assets for domestic army use, while the second is to utilise existing allocations to procure new equipment.
“Assets deployed in Lebanon originate from within the country.
“We can replace or acquire new ones according to the army’s operational needs,” he said in response to questions from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) and Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH-Ledang) on asset procurement and the MalBatt assignment expiring next year.
He said the aim is to ensure army assets are used optimally and remain aligned with the ministry’s long-term planning to sustain national defence capability.
Responding to Syed Ibrahim’s query on whether MalBatt assets could be used for other peacekeeping missions, Adly said allocations for such equipment are already in place.
“Long-term planning must be clear to ensure optimal utilisation of Army assets.
“We can use them for other purposes, such as any potential proposal for a peacekeeping force in Gaza. These assets can be mobilised.
“We actively promote Malaysia’s peacekeeping contributions internationally, not only in Lebanon.
“In these missions, we deploy part of our Army’s assets abroad,” he said.
He added that Mindef could also procure additional equipment for domestic needs, which would help maintain the country’s defence readiness.
