Pakatan vows to raise troop pensions under its rule

PR pledged to give members of the armed forces direct representation on the board of their pension fund. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 ― Pakatan Rakyat (PR) made its campaign pitch to Malaysia’s military personnel today, promising to revamp the management of the armed forces’ pension fund (LTAT) by reforming procurement procedures and increasing pension payments if voted into power.

PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told a press conference here that military personnel have been living in substandard conditions and were offered poor benefits, despite their years of service to the nation.

He said under a PR federal government, the management of LTAT would include representatives from the armed forces to ensure transparency and efficiency in the procurement of military equipment.

“Profit and revenue from LTAT’s procurement must be fairly distributed among members, including through the provision of special microcredit schemes for troops to ensure they get sufficient attention even after they leave the service,” Anwar told a press conference here this afternoon.

PR’s proposal also includes increasing pension payments from the present 15 per cent of salaries to 20 per cent, which Anwar insists the federal government can afford if alleged corruption in defence procurements is reduced.

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