21 MAF PERSONNEL IN PAKISTAN, INDIA SAFE - DEFENCE MINISTER

KOTA TINGGI, May 8 (Bernama) -- 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 said 18 of them are attending courses at military colleges in India, while the remaining three are based in Pakistan.

“They are not in areas affected by the ongoing conflict, and 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 told reporters after launching the Boustead Plantations Bhd Jana Veteran Project at Telok Sengat Estate here today.

Mohamed Khaled added that the ministry would continue to assess developments in both South Asian countries before deciding on the next course of action.

Tensions between Pakistan and India have reportedly led to at least 43 deaths, with Islamabad claiming that 31 civilians were killed in Indian airstrikes and cross-border gunfire. New Delhi, meanwhile, reported at least 12 fatalities in retaliatory attacks by Pakistan.

India launched the strikes two weeks after accusing Pakistan of backing an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir - a claim denied by Islamabad.

Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry was reported as saying that five Indian fighter jets were shot down near the border.

Meanwhile, the Jana Veteran Project, spearheaded by Boustead Plantations in collaboration with the Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV ATM), aims to help MAF veterans generate stable income through agriculture while supporting the government’s food security agenda.

The pilot project at Telok Sengat Estate focuses on fertigation farming of ginger and chili, with Boustead Plantations initially preparing 15 fertigation plots across 12 hectares for ginger cultivation before expanding to other crops.

-- BERNAMA