Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has urged the new Pakatan Harapan government not to involve itself in the Saudi Arabia-led coalition war in Yemen which has been accused of war crimes.

In a statement, LFL executive director Eric Paulsen referred to "various reports," including one from the United Nations Panel of Experts on Yemen to the UN Security Council, which stated that the Saudi-led military coalition attacks in Yemen "may amount to war crimes."

"The report also stated Malaysian military personnel were working alongside France, the United Kingdom and the United States at the coalition's joint headquarters in Riyadh to coordinate the war against the Houthi rebels and their allies in Yemen.”

Paulsen noted that under the previous government, then-defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein had not responded to the UN's concerns, and instead downplayed Malaysia's involvement – declaring that troops were there to evacuate Malaysians from Yemen and for humanitarian purposes.

"If it is indeed true that our troops were deployed to assist evacuation efforts, then the work should have been done by now, and there was no need to remain deployed for over three years.

"The expectation that Malaysian troops will be required to carry out humanitarian work is absurd, as Malaysia is part of the Saudi-led coalition that is causing the war and humanitarian disaster, described as the world’s worst by the UN secretary-general.

"In light of the recent assault by the Saudi-led coalition upon the critically important Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, we call upon Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu to explain the actual reasons for the presence of Malaysian troops in Riyadh and their involvement in the war in Yemen," he said.

Paulsen (photo) noted that Malaysia has a long-standing principle of non-interference in the affairs of other countries that has served the country well.

"Unless mandated by the UN Security Council, Malaysia has no business being involved in the war in Yemen, much less ganging up against a much weaker party in order to please Saudi Arabia.”

'Dr M called for end to war'

Paulsen also pointed out that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had in a November 2017 open letter called for an end to the war in Yemen.

"It is timely that Malaysia plays our more traditional peaceful and facilitative role.

"We urge the defence minister to cease all military participation in the Yemen conflict and to recall our troops stationed in Riyadh.

"This ill-advised military adventurism must come to an end," Paulsen said.