MALAYSIAN CONTINGENT CAPABLE OF OVERCOMING OBSTACLES IN AFGHANISTAN

QATAR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Despite the obstacles including lack of clean water,
Malaysian Armed Forces members serving with the International Security
Assistance Force (MALCON ISAF) in Afghanistan are determined to overcome the
obstacles and serve well.

The 30-member team including seven women, who left Kuala Lumpur Tuesday night
are now in Qatar on transit to the Bamyan region in Afghanistan.

The contingent's media operations director Lt Col Salawati Yahaya told Bernama
that they were prepared to face any risk in carrying out their aid mission in
the strife-torn country.

"We are aware of the obstacles in raising the health standard of the people in
the Bamyan region. Nevertheless, we are confident of overcoming them by focusing
on assisting the local paramedics in health education for the public, including
keeping the environment clean.

Salawati said the seriousness of the Malaysian contingent in carrying out their
duties there would also be tested by the cultural differences which did not
allow male paramedic staff or non-family members to attend to female patients.

"Therefore, the seven trained women members of the team will be deployed to
attend to the female patients," she said.

Salawati said the group would be getting the cooperation of the New
Zealand regional development team to set up the coordination work for improving the
existing health clinic system in the region.

"The average lifespan of the people in Bamyan is only 43 years as they suffer
from various diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhoea and cholera.

"With this mission, the people in Bamyan will be given more immunisations
against such diseases," she added.

The main MALCON ISAF group will be on duty in Afghanistan between six and nine
months to help rebuild and develop the country.