KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has confirmed that all personnel of the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-13 serving in southern Lebanon are safe and unaffected following a mortar attack on UNP 7-2, the Spanish Battalion (Spanbatt) position in the Eastern Sector, on Wednesday.

In a statement today, the MAF said the incident, which occurred at 11.20pm local time, left three Spanbatt peacekeepers injured, while one of them was confirmed dead yesterday morning.

“The MAF extends its condolences to the family of the fallen Spanbatt peacekeeper and prays for the swift recovery of those injured,” the statement said.

The MAF reiterated its firm position that any form of attack, including indirect fire targeting peacekeeping forces, constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

“As a tactical response to this development, the security and base protection profile of the Malbatt 850-13 contingent has been immediately elevated to the highest warning level (Status Level Red).

“All patrol movements have been temporarily suspended. The contingent is now operating under the strictest Standard Operating Procedure and defensive Rules of Engagement as stipulated by the Unifil Headquarters,” the statement said.

The statement added that the MAF, through the Joint Forces Headquarters, is continuously monitoring the operational situation to ensure the highest level of safety for Malaysian personnel carrying out their mandate in the conflict zone. — Bernama

SIBU, June 8 — An elderly man risked his life to save his eight grandchildren and a son after their family home was destroyed in a fire at Kampung Jeriah Abang Ramli, Jalan Oya Lama here yesterday morning.

Recalling the incident, Umar Sidee, 66, said he and his wife were tending to an orchard about six metres from their two-storey semi-permanent house, which was home to 19 family members from three households.

His eight grandchildren, aged between four and 14, were watching television on the ground floor, while his son, in his 20s, was upstairs.

“My wife suddenly shouted that our house was on fire. At the same time, I heard several explosions.

“As soon as I saw flames spreading from the back of the house, I ran inside and brought out all my grandchildren before rushing upstairs to wake my son,” he told Bernama yesterday. 

The former Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) personnel said despite thick smoke and rising heat, he made sure no one was left inside before escaping.

“Although I am already elderly, all I could think about at that moment was the safety of my grandchildren and son. Thankfully, everyone got out safely,” he said.

Umar said he and several villagers later tried to extinguish the fire using buckets of water, but the blaze spread too quickly.

“The fire was too intense. Many villagers came to help, but we were unable to control it,” he said.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene later instructed residents to move away as conditions became increasingly dangerous, leaving them to watch the house being engulfed by flames.

Adding to the family’s anguish, the fire destroyed a home Umar had built gradually over nearly four decades.

He said construction began after he retired from the Malaysian Armed Forces in 1995 and continued while he worked with the Public Works Department (JKR) from 2003.

“As my children grew up and started families of their own, I expanded the house bit by bit. When more grandchildren came along, I enlarged it further. It was only fully completed last year.

“But everything was destroyed in the blink of an eye,” he said.

Although he was unable to save important documents and valuables, Umar said he accepted the tragedy as no lives were lost.

“What matters most is that my children and grandchildren are safe. Possessions can be replaced, but loved ones cannot,” he said.

In the 11 am incident on Monday, the house was destroyed, leaving the family with only the clothes on their backs. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, June 4 — The government is turning to retired military personnel to help address labour shortages in the transport sector, including as lorry and bus drivers as well as skilled workers in the aviation maintenance industry, under a new collaboration between the Transport Ministry (MOT) and Defence Ministry (Mindef).

Speaking at the signing of a strategic Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cooperation agreement between the two ministries today, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said agencies and companies under MOT had committed to offering 3,208 job opportunities in the ports, logistics, bus transportation and rail sectors.

“That is why agencies and companies under MOT have come forward to support this initiative by providing nearly 3,208 job opportunities in the ports, logistics, bus transportation and rail sectors,” he said in his speech.

Loke said the collaboration reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring members and veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) could continue contributing to national development after completing their military service.

He said military personnel possessed qualities highly valued by employers, including discipline, integrity and resilience, as well as experience working in environments that require strict compliance with safety standards.

At a joint press conference later with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Loke said the initiative would also help address manpower shortages across various segments of the transport industry.

“Today we are focusing on the logistics sector, truck and bus drivers, where we are facing significant shortages. We do not have enough bus and truck drivers,” he said.

“This platform can provide opportunities for them to become truck and bus drivers. There are also other sectors that urgently require manpower, such as ports.”

Loke said there was considerable overlap between the skills developed in military service and those needed in civilian transport industries.

“The skill sets that we need in the transport sector already exist among military retirees because they drive multiple heavy vehicles in the forces,” he said.

He pointed in particular to opportunities in the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry, which he said was expanding rapidly.

“Many Air Force personnel possess aerospace MRO skill sets. In the defence sector they work on fighter jets, while in the civilian industry they can work on private jets and commercial aircraft,” he said.

Loke said growing airline fleets and increasing investment in business aviation facilities would drive demand for skilled workers in the sector.

“When there is an urgent need for skilled workers, military retirees are the quickest group that can meet that demand,” he said.

“Because they already have those skill sets.”

He added that military retirees would require only limited additional training before entering the civilian workforce.

The transport minister also announced measures to simplify the conversion of military driving licences into civilian licences, allowing former military drivers to enter the logistics industry more easily.

“Obtaining a Class E licence costs between RM4,000 and RM5,000. Under this programme, we will allow direct conversion,” he said.

Loke explained that military personnel currently hold driving licences issued under the Armed Forces system, which cannot be used after retirement.

He said those participating through the Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat) would be able to convert eligible military licences into civilian licences at no cost.

Khaled said the initiative was important as about 5,000 military personnel retire each year, with more than 4,000 of them aged around 40 and still capable of contributing to the workforce.

“It would be a loss if they did not work or participate in the country’s economic activities,” he said.

Khaled said many retirees still had young families to support despite receiving pensions.

“Even if they receive RM2,000, RM3,000 or RM4,000 in pension, they still have young families. They have children who need to be raised,” he said.

He added that Perhebat had shifted its approach to focus on matching military retirees with industries facing actual labour shortages.

“Previously, Perhebat provided training programmes that did not meet industry needs. Industries had vacancies in certain fields, but Perhebat was providing training in areas that were not aligned,” he said.

“Today we are bypassing that process.”

Under the programme, retiring military personnel will undergo a six-month transition period before leaving service, during which they may be attached to participating companies for training while continuing to receive their government salaries.

Khaled said the arrangement would allow retirees to secure employment immediately after retirement while continuing to receive their pensions.

“Then when they get a job, the company pays them and they also receive their pension,” he said.

As part of the initiative, Perhebat also signed memoranda of understanding with 10 transport-sector agencies, companies and industry associations, including Malaysia Rail Development Corporation, Infinity Logistics & Transport, MMC Port Holdings, Westports Malaysia and Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association, to expand training and employment opportunities for retiring and former military personnel.