Malaysia gained her independence from Britain on the 31st of August 1957. Barely three years later in July 1960, Malaysia dispatched the first group of Malaysian troops to serve as peacekeepers with the United Nations Operations in Congo (UNOC). From July 1960 until June 1964, a total of 3,734 Malaysian troops served with UNOC. This tour of duty at the nascent stage of the country's independence is an important event in the annals of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and as well as in the history of Malaysia. The significance of Malaysia's, and in particular the MAF's, early involvement in peacekeeping operations shows our belief in the United Nations (UN) system and in the settling of disputes and conflicts via means as stipulated in the UN Charter. Since then, Malaysia has dispatched more than twenty thousand peacekeeping troops and more than one thousand military observers and staff officers to more than 29 peacekeeping missions worldwide.

Participation: Why and When?

MAF's involvement in peacekeeping has always received the full support of the Malaysian people. Partly, this is due to the fact that many Malaysians themselves have suffered from the effects of armed communist insurgents from 1948 until 1960. Following that period was a second emergency when communist militants staged another uprising beginning in 1972 and continuing until 1989 when they formally surrendered. After 29 years of protracted acts of terrorism by the communist insurgents, Malaysians in general appreciate the peace and stability that they are now enjoying. It is thus not surprising if the people of Malaysia continuously support MAF's peacekeeping efforts to bring peace to those unfortunate victims of conflicts.

Another major factor that facilitates MAF's numerous involvements in peacekeeping, for the most part without question, by both the people and the government is the very clear and precise peacekeeping policy that has been adopted. Among other things, the policy states that Malaysia's peacekeeping involvements must support its national interests, foreign policy and global peace and security. The other factors to be considered in each situation are:

(1) Will it improve Malaysia's international image?
(2) Does it fulfill Malaysia's national strategic interests?
(3) How does it affect the domestic audience?
(4) Is the mandate clear, realistic and achievable?
(5) What are the concurrent peacekeeping and peace building efforts?
(6) Is impartiality an issue?
(7) Is there consent and cooperation by locals and belligerents? And
(8) Is there an end-state for the mandate and what is it?

At a glance, it may seem that Malaysia's peacekeeping policy is quite similar to that of many other nations of the world. However, it is worthwhile to note that Malaysia has included the phrase "consent and cooperation by locals and belligerents" into her peacekeeping policy. What this means is that Malaysia "would prefer" to participate in Chapter 6 (peacekeeping) rather than taking part in Chapter 7 (peace enforcement) operations. The two key words here are "would prefer"; they are not "would only"! This preference has caused some confusion to various parties, including certain sections of MAF's officers, who believe that Malaysia would not participate in any peace enforcement operations. MAF's involvement in Bosnia Herzegovina (UNPROFOR, IFOR and SFOR) and Somalia (UNOSOM II), all of which were Chapter 7 operations, is a testimony to a decision process that carefully weighs the merits of a particular situation.

A Training Center is Born

In 1993 and 1994, when Malaysia simultaneously deployed its troops to Somalia and Bosnia Herzegovina for peacekeeping duties, she was one of the top ten biggest Troop Contributing Countries, out of a total of 185 member states of the United Nations at that time. Realizing that Malaysia was a major participant in global peacekeeping efforts, and to further enhance and equip her peacekeepers, the Malaysian Peacekeeping Training Center (MPTC) was officially established on the 19th of January 1996. MPTC serves as the national center but aspires to be the 'Center of Excellence' for peacekeeping training for the South East Asia region. The main role of MPTC is to prepare personnel of the Armed Forces, civilian police and civilians (including Non-Governmental Organizations) for operational duties in peacekeeping missions.

The importance of peacekeeping training can never be over-emphasized. Personally, I am a strong believer in this rather common saying among trainers of peacekeepers and military observers, which goes "A good military officer does not necessarily make a good military observer, and a good soldier does not necessarily make a good peacekeeper." At a glance, this statement may sound rather simplistic. Indeed, a military officer or a soldier who, throughout his service life, has been trained to kill or be killed may not necessarily be the best person to make peace among belligerents or warring factions. It is for this reason that the MAF requires all of its officers and troops selected for peacekeeping duties to undergo compulsory peacekeeping training at MPTC. The primary aim of peacekeeping training is to transform the mind-set of these officers, soldiers, sailors and airmen from that of warriors to peacemakers.

Since its establishment in January 1996, MPTC has conducted a total of 13 UN Military Observers Courses, 3 UN Logistics Courses and 9 Pre-Deployment Courses, for both local and foreign participants. Countries that have sent participants to MPTC courses are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sudan, Thailand, United States and Vietnam. Currently, Malaysia has not deployed armed peacekeepers (Malaysian Battalion or MALBATT) to any peacekeeping mission but instead has dispatched 148 Military Observers and Staff Officers to 7 active missions. The MAF also deploys 20 interpreters at any one time to East Timor (UNTAET/UNMISET) for a 6-month tour of duty. Due to this development, the current core business of MPTC is the conduct of the Military Observers and Pre-Deployment courses for Staff Officers and Interpreters.

Assessment Criteria for the United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) Course

UNMO course participants are being assessed by MPTC's Directing Staff from the first day they report for the course until the last day when they leave. Participants are not only assessed by the Course Manager but by all Directing Staff whom they come into contact with. This rather stringent policy is due to the fact that graduates of the UNMO course graded "Highly Suitable" or "Suitable" will most likely represent MAF as the country's peacekeeping ambassadors. Based on the philosophy that "Good soldiers do not necessarily make good peacekeepers" and "Good officers do not necessarily make good military observers," MPTC aspires to ensure that only the best participants are finally deployed as UN military observers.

The overall disposition of participants as reflected in the Final Individual Report states that they are either "Highly Suitable", "Suitable", "May be Suitable", or "Not Suitable" for UN military observers duties.

Other than the results of quizzes and tests carried out during the course, each participant is assessed the ten traits as follows:

Understanding
Independence
Communications Skill
Maturity
Self-confidence
Diplomacy
Teamwork
Participation
General Attitude
Discipline

All ten traits are tabulated into a matrix where each trait is assigned a number on a scale of 1 to 10. The average of the ten traits and the results of quizzes and tests conducted then determine the participant's overall standing in the course and their final disposition. Out of the ten traits mentioned, "General Attitude" is weighted the heaviest. This means that a participant may excel in all the other 9 traits but if assessed as having the "wrong" attitude, he or she will not be recommended for deployment as a military observer.

Challenges to Establishing a Fledgling Center

Notwithstanding the number of courses conducted by MPTC thus far, there are numerous challenges faced by this center in trying to fulfill its roles and tasks. MPTC is currently co-located with the Malaysian Army Institute of Management in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. This temporary complex houses the center's administration office and almost nothing else. The building is a renovated servant quarters of a Pre-War British officer's bungalow! The construction of MPTC's new complex began in January 2000, but work stopped in March 2000 when a stop-work order was issued. This order was issued due to legal tussles between the Ministry of Defence and owners of an adjacent property to this new complex, which happens to be a 5-star beach golf resort.

Work on the new complex has re-started but completion will occur, at the earliest, in mid-year of 2004. Until then, all courses run by MPTC have to be contracted out to hotels or resorts in the vicinity of Port Dickson. The contract is only for course participants' accommodation, food and classrooms. While other training support facilities and equipment, such as computers inclusive of LAN and Internet services, 4x4 vehicles for Field Troop Exercise (FTX) and other office support equipment have to be contracted out separately. This manifestly bureaucratic procedure must be adhered to, in compliance with regulations as stipulated in the Malaysian Treasury Instructions. Out-sourcing of these very basic needs is the norm rather than the exception at MPTC. However, course participants are not complaining: currently most courses are conducted at the Port Dickson Golf and Country Club, an 18-hole golf resort!

There is also an urgent need to upgrade MPTC's resource center and develop the various fields of expertise in peacekeeping among the center's instructors. In this regard, we are very grateful to the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE) and the Norwegian Defence International Center for providing us with the various subject matter experts in the conduct of the Military Observers and UN Logistics Course. With all the shortcomings mentioned earlier, we are proud to say that MPTC has made great strides since its inception and it now has the potential to become the premier peacekeeping training center in the region, once the new complex is up and running.

Benefits to Participating in Peace Support Operations

Malaysia's contributions towards the UN peacekeeping efforts are rather substantial, considering that it is a small, developing country. In line with the country's peacekeeping policy, Malaysia has benefited greatly by being traditionally active in global peacekeeping efforts. With the surrender of the armed communist militants in 1989, the MAF realized that tours of duty with peacekeeping missions would provide some of the best "real-life" training possible for its troops. It would be prohibitively exorbitant to simulate a full-scale failed-state-in-the-grip-of-a-civil-war scenario for its troops to train in.

Peacekeeping also enables MAF officers and soldiers to actively participate in multi-lateral military operations. Other than the Five Power Defence Arrangement which groups Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom for the defense of Malaysia and Singapore, Malaysia is not a signatory to any other multilateral military pact. Thus, participation in peacekeeping missions is the only other avenue available for the Malaysian troops to gain such experience.

Malaysia also believes that peacekeeping and especially peacekeeping training contribute significantly to Confidence Building Measures (CBM) for the region. The Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Capacity Building Program pioneered by COE is one such vehicle that has significantly contributed to CBM in South East Asia by getting all of the regional militaries to meet, discuss and get acquainted in the name of global peace. One event in this series, the Asia Pacific Peacekeeping Seminar Game, was hosted by Malaysia in April 2001. It is worthwhile to note that there is no other forum currently in existence where mid-level military officers from all countries in the region could meet and work together under one roof. Since the program has been established, it is important that the "brains" behind it revisit the objectives set for the program more than two years ago, and perhaps transform it into a more workable and practical forum where regional countries could play more prominent roles in the planning and execution of future events. With the right marketing strategy, I am quite sure that South East Asian countries would be more than happy to take responsibility, and make the program a truly regional effort.

Conclusion

As long as there are nation states, there will be future conflicts, whether we like it or not. With the end of the Cold War, hopes were high that the world would enter into an era of lasting peace, but that did not materialize. Instead, the number of conflicts and civil wars increased substantially. Likewise, the need for peacekeeping will most likely increase rather than decrease in the future. Malaysia, and in particular, the MAF can look forward to participate in many more peacekeeping missions in the years ahead.

Editor's note

To learn more about Malaysia's participation in peacekeeping operations, visit their website at http://maf.mod.gov.my/english/atm/pengaman1.html

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