GOOD and strong relations between Malaysia and other foreign countries contributed to the success of Ops Sudan that brought Malaysians stranded in Khartoum, Sudan home, security and political analyst Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said. 

He said elements of international recognition contained in the nine core policies within the National Security Policy 2021-2025 ensured the operation went smoothly and received full support from foreign countries.

“Such international recognition and cooperation between the country’s main leaders, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, along with assistance from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabian governments, made it possible to bring Malaysians home, was a diplomatic coup,” he told Bernama today.

He added that Malaysians should be proud of the success of Ops Sudan as it proved the country’s capabilities in ensuring that its national security policy and the safety of its citizens was ensured.

Universiti Utara Malaysia International Studies Centre political science lecturer Muhammad Afifi Abdul Razak said that this was not the first time Malaysia ran such an operation, citing Malaysia’s diplomatic approach last year during the Russian-Ukraine crisis as an example that ought to be emulated.

“Ops Sudan’s success can be considered a continuation of the country’s past achievements with foreign countries, carried out by Wisma Putra, diplomats in Sudan and  other highly skilled officers,” he said.

Afifi said the operation not only rescued Malaysians but also helped bring back citizens of other countries from Sudan, including those from the United States, Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand.

“This is in line with the Malaysia Madani concept where the country is concerned about people all over the world who are affected by international conflicts, as is occurring in Sudan right now,” he said.

Ops Sudan brought back 30 Malaysians from Sudan on Friday, after they endured a 30-hour journey covering 1,233 kilometres in Sudan. – Bernama, April 30, 2023.