KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 ― Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and ex-defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein must explain why Cabinet approval was not issued before military personnel were deployed to Yemen, said Senator Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah.

The deputy housing and local government minister told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today that he previously raised the same matter in the Dewan Rakyat, which he said Hishammuddin rejected.

"Why wasn't the Cabinet aware of Ops Yemen II? It is impossible for Najib as prime minister and Hishammuddin as defence minister not to be aware. Why did they hide it from Parliament and the Cabinet?” he asked.

The Amanah International Bureau chairman also called for the current Malaysian government to send humanitarian aid to Yemen as penance over the "Yemeni blood” on our hands.

Yesterday Deputy Defence Minister Senator Liew Chin Tong told Parliament that the previous Cabinet did not expressly authorise the deployment of Armed Forces personnel to join a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

The soldiers were tasked to fly 12 missions transporting equipment, bullets and explosives for the Arab Alliance who were involved in the Yemeni conflict.

However, Malaysian troops only flew in Saudi Arabia airspace and were not involved as direct combatants.

The National Patriots Association accused Hishammuddin today of acting unlawfully in the matter.

The Pakatan Harapan government moved to withdraw the troops after winning the general election.