Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein must provide an explanation on the involvement of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) in Ops Yemen 2.
- Liew Chin Tong claims deployment of troops not approved by previous government cabinet
- Khairy confirms BN ministers unaware of Malaysian military assets deployed to Saudi Arabia
- Raja Kamarul Bahrin questions if Najib’s silence over the matter was due to Saudi allegiance
- Zahid blasts Chin Tong over Ops Yemen II claims
- Patriot says deployment of Malaysian troops in a military conflict between the Saudi coalition forces against Yemen not sanctioned by the Cabinet or by Parliament was illegal
Amanah’s International Bureau chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad Shah said this was due to the fact that the operation was not approved by the previous government cabinet.
He said, for almost two years he has been questioning the actions of Hishammuddin and Najib on the ATM’s involvement.
“Why were the defence minister and prime minister (at the time) hiding (this fact) and refusing to come clean?
“Was the (former) prime minister too indebted to the Saudi royal family because of the generous ‘donation’ which he claimed to have received?” he asked.
Raja Bahrin said he had informed the Dewan Rakyat of the mounting evidence of Malaysia’s involvement in the conflict, which had left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.
He added that the United Nations had reported Malaysia’s involvement many times, and had also reported on numerous war crimes being committed in Yemen.
“By supplying munitions to the Saudi-led coalition, including bullets and explosives, Malaysia is involved and was in connivance in the killings of innocent Yemenis.
“Just as how drug dealers can be sentenced to death, Malaysia, as a weapons supplier, also bears the sins of the previous administration.
“Where are all the champions of Islam in Parliament? Do they support the Najib administration on Yemen?” he asked.
Yesterday, Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong during a question and answer session in the Dewan said 27 officers and 62 other personnel sent to Riyadh on a rotational basis provided logistic support and did not take part in combat operations.
“But in terms of SOP (standard operating procedures), I was informed that the ministry did not get the Cabinet’s decision to deploy the troops,” Liew said in reply to Tanjong Malim MP Chang Lih Kang’s question.
Chang said Ops Yemen II was against Malaysia’s foreign policy to remain neutral and not interfere in foreign conflicts.
“So, I’m urging the government to launch a detailed investigation and act against those responsible,” he said at a press conference.
On September 4, the Pakatan Harapan-led government decided to end Ops Yemen 2 by withdrawing the ATM troops from Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi has lashed out at Liew over the latter’s allegations that the previous Barisan Nasional government was unaware of Ops Yemen II.
“I want to ask first, was he (Liew) involved in that Cabinet meeting?” Zahid said when reporters asked him to comment regarding the matter.
Yesterday, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, who was the youth and sports minister during that Cabinet confirmed that the Barisan Nasional ministers were unaware of Malaysian military assets being deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Malaysia had spent RM14.6 million for the 12 flight missions sending equipment, bullets and explosives to Arab Alliance troops involved in the conflict. A further RM1.5 million was spent for each three months rotation period for the Malaysian soldiers stationed there.
Weighing in, Patriot said the deployment of Malaysian troops in a military conflict between the Saudi coalition forces against Yemen not sanctioned by the Cabinet or by Parliament was illegal.
“Who should be held accountable should there be lives lost while in operational duties abroad?
“If the deployment of troops was a decision by the defence minister, or by other politicians, then the order to deploy the troops was illegal,” Patriot president BG (Rtd) Datuk Mohamad Arshad Raji said