The Malaysian Defense Forces have enlisted the first batch of 40 women soldiers into its combat units, opening a new chapter in its history.

The enlistment was aimed at giving women soldiers a bigger role in the country's army, Malaysian Armed Forces chief Admiral Anwar Mohd Nor has said at the army's training center in Port Dickson in Sembilan State.

Yet, these female soldiers would only play an administrative role in military operations or in the event of war, and not be sent to the frontline, he was quoted as saying by Malaysia's national news services Bernama.

Malaysia's army combat units currently have three administrative elements, administration, logistics and store- keeping.

Source: Xinhua