Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled says any withdrawal of Malaysian peacekeepers from Lebanon must follow UN processes, as the mission operates under a UN mandate.
KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia cannot unilaterally withdraw its peacekeeping battalion from Lebanon as the deployment is subject to a United Nations mandate.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin stated that any decision, including bringing personnel home, must go through established UN processes.
“We are bound by the UN,” he told reporters after an event in Telok Sengat.
“When we agreed to join this mission, the deployment and command of our forces came under the UN.”
He said the government’s priority is ensuring the safety of all personnel throughout their deployment.
Security measures have been strengthened, including reassessing field operations in line with current developments.
“If necessary, certain roles may be suspended or troop movements restricted as a precaution,” he added.
On the security situation, Mohamed Khaled confirmed there had been encounters between MALBATT personnel and the Israel Defence Forces.
He said the situation remains under control with no untoward incidents reported.
More than 500 MALBATT personnel are currently stationed in Lebanon under the UN Interim Force.
The minister had previously stated that no personnel were injured in several explosion incidents near the UNIFIL area in southern Lebanon.
Those incidents followed tensions between the IDF and Hezbollah in the region.
