Malaysia, Lebanon to Deepen Defence Ties Beyond MALBATT Deployment

Malaysia and Lebanon have reaffirmed their mutual commitment to expanding bilateral defence cooperation beyond Malaysia’s nearly two-decade UNIFIL peacekeeping deployment.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin met with Lebanese Defence Minister Major General Michel Menassa during a two-day official visit to Beirut, discussing structured initiatives to maintain ties following the drawdown of the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT).

“Lebanon is one of Malaysia’s earliest partners in West Asia. This relationship will continue to be strengthened, even after MALBATT’s deployment under UNIFIL ends,” Mohamed Khaled stated in an official release. “We discussed expanding defence cooperation, including a proposed memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation and continued training opportunities through the Malaysian Defence Cooperation Programme (MDCP).”

End of MALBATT Peacekeeping Era

The current deployment—MALBATT 850-13, operating out of Marakah Camp in southern Lebanon—marks the final Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) contingent under UNIFIL since initial joining in 2007.

As part of the mission wrap-up, Malaysia is transferring select assets to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Joint Forces Commander Lt Gen Datuk Seri Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim symbolically transferred assets to LAF representative Brig Gen Amine El Kai during the visit.

Key asset transfer details include:

• Scope of Assets: A total of 292 military assets, including vehicles and operational equipment valued at approximately USD10 million (RM42 million).
• Timeline: Handed over in progressive phases ending January 2027 to support local humanitarian, welfare, and security initiatives.
• Equipment Allocation: Remaining assets will either be repatriated back to Malaysia or disposed of locally in Lebanon.

Civil Support and Diplomatic Presence

During his visit to the Malaysian Embassy in Beirut alongside Malaysian Ambassador Anwar Udzir and Defence Ministry Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Mohd Yani Daud, Mohamed Khaled witnessed the donation of medical equipment and fire extinguishers from MALBATT to the Lebanese Civil Defense.

Before arriving in Beirut, Mohamed Khaled made a brief transit stop in Istanbul, Turkey, where he was met by Rear Admiral Emin Yilmaz from the Turkish National Defence University.

–NMT