KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia’s continued participation in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon will depend on whether the United Nations extends the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which expires at the end of the year, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).
He said Malaysia recently held discussions with United Nations representatives on preparations for Malaysia Battalion (Malbatt) personnel in Lebanon and the future direction of the peacekeeping mission.
“We discussed the next steps and the process of bringing back our personnel following the UN Security Council’s earlier decision that the Unifil mandate would end in December.
“Given the continued attacks by Israel, we also reviewed whether the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon should continue,” he said after launching the Jiwa Murni programme at SK Johor Kampong here yesterday.
However, Khaled said the UN Security Council has yet to make a final decision as developments in Lebanon remain fluid.
“The matter will be discussed by the Security Council. If it is decided that Unifil should continue, Malaysia is prepared to remain involved and deploy our personnel,” he said.
Asked about the recent injuries sustained by two Malbatt personnel in Lebanon, Khaled said the ministry had issued directives to ensure the safety of its personnel.
“The two personnel are receiving treatment at their location,” he said.
The two peacekeepers serving with Malbatt 850-13 reportedly sustained minor injuries following a nearby airstrike on Thursday.
The incident occurred at about 9.25am local time, approximately 1km west of United Nations Position 6-43 in Tibnin.
Meanwhile, Khaled stressed that national security could no longer be viewed solely as the responsibility of the Armed Forces, given the increasingly complex nature of modern threats.
He said these include hybrid and cyber threats, cognitive warfare, geopolitical tensions, as well as cross-border crimes such as human trafficking and smuggling.
“The people also have an important role to play through patriotism and unity, by not being influenced by provocations, fake news and negative perceptions, and by helping build resilient communities,” he said.
