PETALING JAYA: An evacuation operation will be held to bring back Malaysians in West Asia conflict zones, says the National Security Council (NSC).
“This is to ensure all necessary measures are mobilised immediately to safeguard the safety and welfare of Malaysians in the affected areas,” it said, adding that the move was on the directive of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The government is now in the final phase of preparations to carry out the evacuation operation of Malaysians from several countries affected by conflicts in West Asia, following the increasingly critical security developments in the region.
“The NSC will coordinate this operation in close cooperation with the Foreign Ministry through the Malaysian Representative Offices in the respective countries.
“The NSC together with the Foreign Ministry will also provide regular updates on the progress of this operation to all parties until the entire process of bringing Malaysians home is completed.
“The government will do everything possible to ensure the Malaysians involved can return safely to the homeland,” it said in a statement.
Wisma Putra was previously quoted as saying that 641 Malaysians were stranded across several locations in the region as of Sunday.
Malaysians planning to travel to 10 Middle Eastern countries are advised to defer their trip due to the ongoing regional conflict as the Foreign Ministry’s travel advisory on March 5 remains in force until further notice.
The 10 countries are Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Separately, Bernama quoted Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan as saying that the government, through the Foreign Ministry, the NSC and other relevant agencies, is continuously monitoring security developments in the Gulf region.
“The security situation there appears to be gradually improving, and many air spaces are reopening in stages.
“Airlines can now resume services to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, allowing Malaysians stranded in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi to return home safely,” he told reporters after presenting Ramadan aid at the Taman Kelab Tuanku Public Hall in Mambau, Negri Sembilan, yesterday.
Mohamad also expressed appreciation to the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their assistance to Malaysians who were stranded at airports in those countries.
However, he said there were still some individuals who were difficult for embassy officials to contact, as they were believed to have already boarded return flights.
Therefore, Mohamad stressed that Malaysians who had secured seats on flights, especially those departing from Jeddah, Madinah, Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, should inform the embassy so that Wisma Putra can better manage and monitor Malaysians who remain stranded.
