Telok Sengat: A total of 21 Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officers and personnel undergoing military training in Pakistan and India are safe, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He confirmed that 18 of these officers are attending courses at military colleges in India, while the remaining three are based in Pakistan.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamed Khaled emphasized that these personnel are not located in areas affected by the ongoing conflict and that most are expected to complete their courses by the end of this year. “At present, all are safe, but we will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he stated during a press event after launching the Boustead Plantations Bhd Jana Veteran Project at Telok Sengat Estate.
Mohamed Khaled added that the ministry would closely assess developments in both South Asian countries before deciding on further actions. This caution comes amidst rising tensions between Pakistan and India, which have reportedly resulted in at least 43 deaths. Islamabad has claimed that 31 civilians were killed due to Indian airstrikes and cross-border gunfire, while New Delhi reported at least 12 fatalities from retaliatory attacks by Pakistan.
The conflict escalated when India launched airstrikes two weeks after accusing Pakistan of supporting an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, a claim that Pakistan has denied. In response, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, reported that five Indian fighter jets were shot down near the border.
Meanwhile, the Jana Veteran Project, launched by Boustead Plantations in collaboration with the Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV ATM), aims to provide MAF veterans with a stable income through agriculture. This initiative also supports the government’s food security agenda. The pilot project at Telok Sengat Estate focuses on fertigation farming of ginger and chili, with an initial setup of 15 fertigation plots across 12 hectares for ginger cultivation, which will later expand to include other crops.