Malaysia Peacekeeping Troops & Police To Timor Leste
AussieNick
Forum Digger
A lot of photos of Aussie equipment and troops you've got there PC2.
Just out of curiosity, is Australia the only nation providing air assets, or has Malaysia sent any?
As for the poverty/paradise issue.
It's a divided island, only recently freed from Indonesian oppression. They've never had money, just like Papua New Guinea. If the two 'tribes' of Timor can pull their socks up and behave themselves then they could make a go of it. They have got natural gas resources in the Timor Sea (shared with Australia), and this is enough to make the country rather wealthy.
Just out of curiosity, is Australia the only nation providing air assets, or has Malaysia sent any?
As for the poverty/paradise issue.
It's a divided island, only recently freed from Indonesian oppression. They've never had money, just like Papua New Guinea. If the two 'tribes' of Timor can pull their socks up and behave themselves then they could make a go of it. They have got natural gas resources in the Timor Sea (shared with Australia), and this is enough to make the country rather wealthy.
LUMUT, June 30 (Bernama) -- The 498 Malaysian soldiers deployed in violence-torn Timor Leste last May 26 will return home as soon as their duty ends at the end of next month.
They will be replaced by Royal Malaysia Police personnel, Chief of Defence Forces Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor told reporters after closing the 43rd Malaysian Defence Forces Athletics Championship at the Manjung Stadium here Friday.
"If the conflict situation requires and is pressing, we will remain there. So long as the situation is stable and the troops can be replaced by the police contingent, we will come home," he said.
He was commenting on a request by Timor Leste for a Malaysian contingent to remain there for two to five years to assist in the effort to develop its police and military institutions.
At present, the Malaysian contingent comprises all elements of the Malaysian Defence Forces with the quick mobilisation unit from the 10th Para Brigade being the main force.
The contingent was strengthened with the special operations group, the navy's special squad, the Royal Malay Regiment's 19th Mechanised Battalion, special investigation branch and the Defence Ministry's public relations branch.
-- BERNAMA