M'SIAN ARMED FORCES STILL WAITING FOR GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) is still waiting for directive from the government before sending a 30-member medical team to Gaza.

"Our medical team is ready to serve in Gaza. I hope they will leave for Gaza
soon," ATM chief Abdul Aziz Zainal said after the launch of a "Career
Expo with ATM" by the Prime Minister here Friday.

The medical team comprising doctors and medical officers would be stationed
in Gaza for 3-4 months and would be replaced when needed.

Abdul Aziz said ATM would not find difficulty to enter Gaza and was looking
for a strategic location to station the medical team together with other aid
teams.

On the expo, he said it was aimed at attracting the young particularly
non-bumiputeras (non-son of the soil) to start a career with ATM.

"Non-bumiputeras are not keen on ATM. Less than two percent of the Chinese
are with ATM, not due to lack of exposure but lack of interest.

"ATM needs youths of all races to fill the many vacancies. Some 7,000 Army
personnel retire from service annually and this calls for replacement," he
added.

The expo was participated by various branches of ATM like the Army, Royal
Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), National Service
Training Department (PLKN), Veteran Affairs Department, Ex-Servicemen's Affairs
Corporation, Royal Military College (RMC) and Universiti Pertahanan Nasional
Malaysia.

An exhibition showcasing the vehicles and weapons used by ATM when
participating in United Nations (UN) peace missions overseas was also held.
--BERNAMA