Ekip
February 23, 2016•Update: February 25, 2016
By P Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia’s opposition leader called on the government Tuesday to refrain from joining military operations in Syria, expressing suspicion over the Southeast Asian country’s military participating in ongoing drills in Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Kuala Lumpur confirmed its military had joined an exercise dubbed “Northern Thunder” in northern Saudi Arabia, but denied any involvement in a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition operating in Yemen against Shia Houthis militias.
The oil-rich Gulf monarchy is also part of a United States-led anti-Daesh coalition, under which Saudi military jets have arrived at Turkey's Incirlik air base in southern Adana province.
Riyadh has also openly warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that he will be toppled.
"Malaysia's involvement in the training by Saudi was unnecessary, unless it was involved in Syria operations," Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said in a statement Tuesday.
"The news that Malaysia participated in the training is worrying given the [defense] minister denied the participation in the Yemen military operations, but remained silent on the Syrian operations," she underlined.
Ismail, the wife of imprisoned former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, said the government's action of joining the training gave a negative impression of Malaysia geo-political stance.
"The government must retract from any activity pertaining to the Syrian war, especially those not in line with the United Nations measures," she added.
Last Tuesday, Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein had insisted that Malaysia’s participation had no connection with operations aimed at reversing Houthis military gains in Yemen and restoring the Saudi-backed government, as such war games had been held over the past 15 years.
"Despite Malaysia's strong position to combat any form of extremism, the Royal Malaysian Army is not involved in any military operations in Yemen," he said in a statement.
"This is the first time Malaysia is participating in this type of training. But we will continue to collaborate in areas that we can to sharpen our forces."
Malaysia is part of a 34-member Coalition formed by Saudi Arabia to battle “terrorism” in Muslim countries last December.
The official Saudi Press Agency had described the “Northern Thunder” drill – which will involve army, navy and air forces – as “the most important and the biggest in the history of the region.”
It said the training “represents a clear message that Saudi Arabia and its brothers and friends of the participating countries stand united to confront all challenges and maintain peace and stability in the region.”
