Kuala lumpur: The professionalism and capabilities of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) came to the forefront on the international stage when it made history as the first military force from Asia to participate in a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) mission through the Implementation Force (IFOR), a peace enforcement force in Bosnia in 1995.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MAF veteran Major General (Rtd) Datuk Mohamad Raih Ismail revealed that before being accepted to participate in the more challenging IFOR mission, the Malaysian contingent had to undergo rigorous tests by NATO. During the transition from the peacekeeping force to IFOR, the MAF successfully relocated 1,533 personnel, along with hundreds of vehicles, including Condor armoured vehicles, amidst heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. This month-long movement was completed without a single accident.

Major General Mohamad Raih shared these insights during the 'Veteran ATM: Mewarisi Kehebatan, Memperkasa Masa Hadapan' segment of the Apa Khabar Malaysia programme produced by Bernama TV. He noted that the achievement also attracted the attention of the British military, which was impressed by the MAF's capabilities, especially as the British forces had recorded accidents and fatalities under similar extreme weather conditions.

He also recounted the MAF's participation in Operation United Shield in Somalia in 1995, where Task Force Malaysia was deployed with two ships, KD Mahawangsa and KD Inderasakti, to protect the withdrawal mission of United Nations (UN) peacekeepers under UNOSOM II. The operation, conducted alongside military forces from seven countries including the United States, Italy, and France, was successfully completed on March 2, 1995, without any issues.

Highlighting the professionalism of the MAF, Mohamad Raih emphasized that the operation showcased the force's ability to collaborate effectively with other foreign military forces. Having joined the MAF in 1970 after being commissioned into the Royal Malay Regiment, Mohamad Raih served in various roles, including staff and commander positions at company, battalion, brigade, and division levels. He also served as assistant defence attach© in the Philippines during the People Power Revolution.