PORT DICKSON: The team of 440 Malaysian soldiers who completed their tour of duty as United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon was disbanded yesterday here.
DISBANDED: Malbatt 1 members pose for a group photo after launching the ‘Malaysian Battalion - United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (July 2009 - April 2010)’ book at the parade ground of the Army Basic Training Centre (Pusasda) in Port Dickson. — Bernama photo
The members of Malaysian Battalion 1 (Malbatt 1), led by Malbatt 1 commander Hashim Aman Shah, had served in At-Tiri in Lebanon between July last year and April this year.
The disbanding of Malbatt 1 took place at the parade ground of the Army Basic Training Centre (Pusasda) here in a ceremony officiated at by Joint Forces Commander Lt Gen Datuk Wira Allatif Mohd Noor who represented the Chief of Defence Forces.
Seven members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces had also served with Malbatt 1.
At yesterday’s ceremony, besides removing their United Nations berets in a symbolic gesture, 10 representative members of Malbatt 1 were awarded UN national service medals in recognition of the successful mission of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
Allatif also launched a 250-page pictorial book entitled ‘Malaysian Battalion – United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (July 2009 – April 2010)’ which illustrates the activities of Malbatt 1 members during the Unifil mission.
In his speech at the ceremony, Allatif said the experience gained at the Unifil mission contributed indirectly to enhancing the capability of the Malaysian armed forces. — Bernama