Putera 1Malaysia Club allowed use of military assets

S Pathmawathy 7:53PM Oct 6

The government gave its permission to Putera 1Malaysia Club to utilise military assets – aircraft, a C130 Hercules transport plane as well as military personnel -for its humanitarian mission to Somalia, Parliament has been informed.

The entire cost of the humanitarian mission from Aug 28 to Sept 4 was borne by the NGO, the Foreign Ministry said in a written reply to Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh).

Kok had asked for the cost of the Putera 1Malaysia Club mission and who gave it permission to use military aircraft, a C130 Hercules transport plane as well as military personnel during the mission.

The ministry in its reply did not provide the breakdown of the Putera 1Malaysia Club expenses, saying that the mission was privately funded by the NGO.

“The ministry had given its view when informed that Putera 1Malaysia Club intended to go on mission to Somalia… the ministry had also taken the necessary precautions, especially where safety is concerned, considering Somalia’s unstable political situation,” Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said.

Anifah said the government welcomed aid missions organised by any non-governmental groups and was ever-willing to provide assistance, after due consideration to the aid-receiving country’s political and safety situation, if a request was made.

The Putera 1Malaysia Club humanitarian mission turned fatal whenBernama TV cameraperson Noramfaizul Mohd Nor was shot dead on Sept 2.

Noramfaizul, 41, was killed after a stray bullet hit him, puncturing his lung as he was sitting in a four-wheel-drive vehicle in the Somalian capital Mogadishu.

It was reported that the bullet was fired by Burundi soldiers, who were part of an African Union peacekeeping force, during a firefight. A TV3 journalist, Aji Saregar Mazlan, was injured in the incident.

The written reply also said that the Burundi soldiers involved were relieved of their duties and sent back to their home country to await trial.