Hishammuddin broke law by deploying troops to Yemen without cabinet approval – Patriot
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has urged former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to come clean on the military’s involvement in Yemen under Op Yaman 2, which did not receive cabinet approval.
Its president Datuk Mohamad Arshad Raji said the “shocking” revelation, which was made by Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong yesterday (Dec 3), raised questions over the person responsible for sanctioning the army’s provision of logistical support for the Arab military pact.
“Patriot wants to know who was given the authority to deploy military personnel to Arab Saudi. If it was a decision made by the defence minister or any politicians, that is an infringement of the law.
“Were there any discussions between the defence minister and the Armed Forces Chief to decide whether the army’s involvement in the Saudi Arabian–led intervention in Yemen is lawful?” Arshad said in a statement today.
He also asked whether the Armed Forces Chief was pressured into deploying troops to Arab Saudi and why the matter was not discussed in cabinet.
“Was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who is Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, consulted before the decision was made?” he asked.
Arshad said the government and Defence Ministry had “clearly made a mistake” by deploying troops overseas without the cabinet or Parliament’s nod.
“If lives were lost, who would be responsible? The defence minister should know that he has no authority to issue an order to the army. Such an order can only be issued by the army chief.
Yesterday, the deputy defence minister revealed that the then defence minister did not receive cabinet approval for the military’s role under Op Yaman 2.
Liew was answering a question by Chang Lih Kang (Pakatan Harapan-Tanjung Malim), who wanted to know the army’s role in Op Yaman 2 and the cost.
Op Yaman 2 was carried out in 2015 to evacuate Malaysians in Yemen during a civil war between the Yemeni government led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi militia.
Liew had also said Op Yaman 2 was repurposed to assist the Arab military pact, which went against Malaysia’s policy of not interfering with foreign conflicts.
The Pakatan Harapan government has withdrawn the country’s troops from Yemen after it moved to end Op Yaman 2 on Sept 4.
Najib, Hishammuddin told to come clean on ‘Ops Yemen II’
KUALA LUMPUR: The former prime minister and his former defence minister have been urged to come clean over Malaysia’s involvement in the conflict in Yemen, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.
Parti Amanah Negara International Bureau chair Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah made this push at Parliament’s lobby here, today.
He said he had raised the issue in Parliament before, but then-Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had denied that the Malaysian military was involved in the war.
“I urge Datuk Seri Najib Razak and (Datuk Seri) Hishammuddin Hussein to tell us the truth. Why wasn’t the Cabinet aware of Ops Yemen II?
“It is impossible for Najib as prime minister and Hishammuddin as defence minister not to have been aware (of it). Why did they hide it from Parliament and the Cabinet?” he asked.
The Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister also called on the current government to send humanitarian aid to Yemen for the “Yemeni blood” on Malaysia’s hands.
Yesterday, Deputy Defence Minister Senator Liew Chin Tong announced that the Cabinet was unaware that Malaysia had deployed troops on a three month rotational basis to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The soldiers were tasked with flying in 12 missions, transporting equipment, bullets and explosives for the Arab Alliance which is engaged in a devastating war with Houthi rebels in the Middle East’s poorest country.
However, Malaysian troops only flew in Saudi Arabian air space and were not involved as direct combatants.
NST
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