LEBANON, Thursday 26 February 2015 – The Deputy Minister of Defence Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat made a working visit to the United Nation Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from the 26 February 2015 until the 28 February 2015. Accompanying the Deputy Minister of Defence for the visit were Colonel (U) Haji Hamzah bin Sahat, Joint Force Commander Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Technical) and officers from the Ministry of Defence and Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Also accompanying were Lieutenant General Datuk Seri Ackbal bin Abdul Samad, Joint Force Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces and Colonel Kashwadi bin Lahuri Commander of Malaysian Battalion 850-2 (MALBATT 850-2).
The Deputy Minister of Defence and delegations made Courtesy Calls to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Lebanon, His Excellency Samir Moqbel and the Chief of Staff of Lebanese Armed Forces, Major General Walid Salman at the Ministry of Defence Lebanon. During the Courtesy Calls, the Lebanese Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces commended the continuous support by Brunei Darussalam for its participation as part of UNIFIL in ensuring peace and stability in South Lebanon.
The Deputy Minister of Defence and delegations made a courtesy call to Major General Luciano Portolano, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL at UNIFIL Headquarters, Naquora. On arrival at the UNIFIL HQ, The Deputy Minister of Defence and both Joint Force Commanders were given the honour to inspect the Quarter Guard. The delegation was given an in depth briefing of the situation in Southern Lebanon by the HOM/FC UNIFIL.
The Deputy Minister of Defence and delegations then visited the MALBATT Camps at Tibnine and Ma’rakah. The delegations had the opportunity to view the facilities, infrastructures and assets that are available in both camps with the objective of looking at the operational readiness of the personnel and the camps itself. The Deputy Minister of Defence and delegations also had a closed session with the personnel of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Contingent embedded in MALBATT 850-2 headed by Major Pg Malik Yusri bin Pg Haji Zaidi at the Ma’rakah Camp.
As part of UNIFIL Civilian-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiatives, the Deputy Minister of Defence handed over the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces contribution in the form of Laptop computers and projectors to Ma’rakah Technical School, one of the 4 Technical Schools in Lebanon. Witnessing the handing over of the equipment to the Director of the Ma’rakah Technical School, Mr Bilal Khalil were Mr Hassan Sa’ad, Mayor of Ma’rakah, Major General Stefano G. Del Col, UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters Commander and the Deputy Commander of MALBATT 850-2, Lt Col Zunaidi bin Hassan. On completion, the delegation were given the tour to the Technical Laboratory which was contributed by UNIFIL for the school.
Courtesy Call to HE Samir Moqbel, Defence Minister Lebanon
Courtesy Call to Head of Mission/Force Commander UNIFIL,
Major General Luciano Portolano
Courtesy Call to Major General Walid Salman, Chief of Staff Lebanon Armed Forces
Visit to Tibnine Camp
TIMBALAN MENTERI PERTAHANAN LAWATAN KERJA KE UNITED NATION INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL)
LUBNAN, Khamis 26 Februari 2015
– Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan, Yang Mulia Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin
Haji Sirat telah membuat lawatan kerja ke United Nation Interim Force
in Lebanon (UNIFIL) dari 26 Februari 2015 sehingga 28 Februari 2015.
Mengiringi Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan untuk lawatan tersebut ialah
Kolonel (U) Haji Hamzah bin Sahat, Pemerintah Angkatan Bersama Angkatan
Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, Haji Azhar bin Haji Ahmad, Timbalan Setiausaha
Tetap (Teknikal) dan pegawai-pegawai dari Kementerian Pertahanan dan
Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei. Juga mengiringi adalah Leftenan
Jeneral Datuk Seri Ackbal bin Abdul Samad, Pemerintah Angkatan Bersama
Angkatan Tentera Malaysia dan Kolonel Kashwadi bin Lahuri Komander
Batalion Malaysia 850-2 (MALBATT 850-2).
Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan dan delegasi membuat Kunjungan Hormat
kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Pertahanan Lubnan, Tuan Yang
Terutama Samir Moqbel dan Ketua Turus Angkatan Tentera Lubnan, Mejar
Jeneral Walid Salman di Kementerian Pertahanan Lubnan. Semasa kunjungan
hormat, Kementerian Pertahanan Pertahanan dan Angkatan Bersenjata
Lubnan berbangga atas sokongan yang berterusan oleh Negara Brunei
Darussalam atas penyertaan sebahagian daripada UNIFIL dalam memastikan
keamanan dan kestabilan di Selatan Lubnan.
Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan dan delegasi juga membuat kunjungan
hormat kepada Mejar Jeneral Luciano Portolano, Ketua Misi / Force
Commander UNIFIL di Ibu Pejabat UNIFIL, Naquora. Setibanya di Ibu
Pejabat UNIFIL, Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan dan kedua-dua Pemerintah
Angkatan Bersama telah diberi penghormatan untuk memeriksa Kawalan
Suku. Para delegasi telah diberi taklimat terperinci akan keadaan di
Selatan Lubnan oleh HOM / FC UNIFIL.
Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan dan delegasi seterusnya melawat Kem
MALBATT di Tibnine dan Ma’rakah. Para delegasi berpeluang untuk melihat
kemudahan, infrastruktur dan aset yang terdapat di kedua-dua kem dengan
objektif melihat tahap kesediaan operasi dan anggota-anggota di kem-kem
tersebut. Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan dan delegasi juga telah
mengadakan sesi tertutup bersama anggota-anggota Kontinjen Angkatan
Bersenjata Diraja Brunei yang diserapkan dalam MALBATT 850-2, diketuai
oleh Mejar Pengiran Malik Yusri bin Pengiran Haji Zaidi di Kem Ma’rakah.
Dari sebahagian inisiatif Kerjasama Awam – Tentera (CIMIC) UNIFIL,
Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan telah menyerahkan sumbangan Kementerian
Pertahanan dan Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei dalam bentuk peralatan
komputer riba dan projektor kepada Sekolah Teknikal Ma’rakah, salah satu
dari empat buah sekolah teknikal di Lubnan. Menyaksikan penyerahan
peralatan-peralatan tersebut kepada Encik Bilal Khalil, Pengarah Sekolah
Teknikal Ma’rakah adalah Encik Hassan Sa’ad, Datuk Bandar Ma’rakah,
Mejar Jeneral G. Stefano Del Col, UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters
Commander dan Timbalan Komander daripada MALBATT 850-2, Lt Kol Zunaidi
bin Hassan. Setelah selesai, rombongan dibawa melawat ke Makmal
Teknikal yang telah disumbangkan oleh UNIFIL.