10 WOMEN MEMBERS OF UNIFIL'S MALCON CONTINGENT RETURN HOME

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Ten women members of the Malaysian Contingent (Malcon) of the the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) returned home Wednesday.

Malaysian Armed Forces' Joint Force Headquarters' Chief of Staff, Rear
Admiral Jamil Osman said the team, comprising an officer and nine rank and
file personnel, had completed their four-and-a-half-month peacekeeping stint in
Lebanon.

"Through the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC), the team members carried
out their duties well.

"What is important is that they have increased the confidence of the
Lebanese government and its people of the Malaysian Armed Force's capabilities
as a neutral peacekeeping team," he said during a welcoming reception held by
the Defence Ministry for the team, here.

The team, known as Malcon East 3, headed by Captain Khartina July, 29, were
stationed in Lebanon since July 30 and are being replaced by 10 more women
personnel from the MAF, who departed for Lebanon on Monday.

Meanwhile, Senior Seaman Roslina Masdar, 30, described her duty in Lebanon
as an eye-opener.

She said it was her first time serving abroad and working with the Lebanese
community was something new.

"It was difficult to communicate with them. They only know how to speak in
Arabic and there was a time when we had a craving for lamb, we had to bleat like
a goat to get a taste of the dish," she said.