REMBAU: Malaysia will request the United Nations (UN) to review the terms of deployment for peacekeeping missions, including the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-13 under the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), following the worsening security situation in the country.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said this was due to the current situation in Lebanon no longer being conducive for a peacekeeping mission, raising concerns over the safety of more than 500 Malbatt personnel stationed there.
"The situation in Lebanon is no longer aligned with a peacekeeping mission. Malbatt is a peacekeeping force, but there is now a war taking place, so I have discussed this matter with the Defence Ministry.
"In such circumstances, we want to request the UN to review the terms or the duration of the mission, as we do not want our peacekeeping personnel to be exposed to danger or be injured," he told reporters after officiating the annual general meetings of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) for schools in the Rantau state constituency here on Thursday.
Mohamad, who is also Rembau MP and Rantau assemblyman, said the peacekeeping mission is scheduled to end at the end of this year, but Malaysia cannot unilaterally withdraw its personnel as the deployment falls under a UN mandate.
"Unless the UN Security Council decides to shorten the mission period because it is no longer aligned with its objective of maintaining security… it is no longer safe, and we do not want Malaysian or other countries' peacekeepers to be injured or killed," he said.
Mohamad said Malaysia has instructed its Permanent Representative to the UN to engage with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and coordinate with other peacekeeping troop-contributing countries to prepare a memorandum to the world body.
"There are many countries involved in the peacekeeping force, and I have instructed our permanent representative to engage with the UN Secretary-General and work with other participating nations to decide that, in such a critical situation, we need not wait until the end of the year," he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the Cabinet has also instructed the Defence Ministry to halt patrol operations by Malbatt personnel in the operational area, requiring them to remain at base as a safety measure.
In another development, he said Malaysia is closely monitoring the movement of six Malaysian oil tankers still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Our vessels are currently unable to pass as the Strait of Hormuz is closed, although prior approval had been granted.
"One vessel has safely exited the strait and is now heading to the refinery in Pengerang, Johor. There are six more, and we are monitoring the situation," he said. - Bernama
