Malaysia to wait for UN's decision on sending peacekeepers to Palestine

PORT DICKSON: Malaysia will wait for the United Nation’s (UN) decision on whether to send peacekeepers to Palestine, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.

The government will not make any sudden decisions and will consider whatever the UN decides, especially where the Malaysian Armed Forces are concerned, he added.

Mohamad said as a Non-Aligned Movement member under the UN, Malaysia has been part of the UN Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) previously.

"We have over 800 military personnel in Lebanon, we also have some officers on duty in Somalia, and other African nations, but not as many as in Lebanon.

"As a UN’s member, we will wait and see what their decision is and we will assess from there whether Malaysia needs to be part of the peacekeeping force… we will not sent troops hastily there,” he told reporters after a Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) medal award ceremony here today.

Mohamad had said ealier in his speech that the rotation of personnel involved in the MALBATT 850-10 team that is part of the UNIFIL mission had begun on Oct 2.

"We have personnel under MALBATT who are part of the UN mission in Lebanon… there were personnel rotation starting Oct 2.

“I will inform the Cabinet that (we) will continue the rotation of personnel in Lebanon, if there are other matters after this, we will make another decision,” he added.

-- BERNAMA