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 Saudi Arabia. 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 Saudi Arabia 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The Pakatan Harapan government has withdrawn the country’s troops from Yemen after it moved to end Op Yaman 2 on Sept 4.