Malaysia highly regarded as 9M-IMT head

The head of 9M-IMT, Major-General Datuk Abd Samad Yaacub said during the one-year stint in Mindanao from March 14, last year, all 36 members of the 9M-IMT from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan and Norway cooperated well.

"This is not the first time Malaysia (heads the mission), we were also involved in Lebanon and other places," he told reporters after returning with 15 Malaysian 9M-IMT members at 6.45pm at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base near here on Saturday.

The team comprising 10 officers and one personnel of the Malaysia Armed Forces (ATM), two police officers and three civilian officers was disbanded in a ceremony upon its arrival here by Joint Forces Commander Lt-General Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad.

Abd Samad said the monitoring team also obtained the cooperation and protection of the Philippine Army and police, as well as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"Overall, I am very satisfied with the mission...there were no casualties and the tasks assigned to the mission were successfully accomplished," he said.

Earlier, Ackbal in his speech congratulated the team and was confident their mission would give the country a good image.

He also said the cooperation between ATM and the police in the mission could be a guide for more cooperation between the two forces, especially on assignments abroad.

Malaysia's involvement in the IMT began in 2004 and nine teams have been assigned in a series for at least a one-year mission.

On Friday, a 16-member 10M-IMT mission team headed by Major-Gen Datuk Sheikh Mokhsin Sheikh Hassan left for Cotabato City, Iligan City, Zamboanga and General Santos City to replace the 9M-IMT.