Why RMAF Officer Was Punished Over His Police Report On The Indelible Ink?

A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) squadron leader, Major Zaidi Ahmad who is based in the Butterworth RMAF Air Base was transferred out from active duty over his police report which he made two days ago against the Elections Commission (EC) on the ineffectiveness of the indelible ink.

The RMAF veteran of 24 years was instructed with immediate effect to be transferred to a desk job (as a research officer) in a military camp in Kuala Lumpur. Major Zaidi has however, requested for the postponement of his transfer to next Monday as he needs to resolve his family arrangements.

Major Zaidi had on Wednesday lodged a police report over the indelible ink which could be washed off from his finger after he voted in the air base. His wife and an RMAF Technician Jamal Ibrahim who experienced the same situation had also lodged their police reports respectively. However it was not known if Jamal would be transferred out from the Butterworth RMAF Air Base soon.

Why is Major Zaidi and his family are being punished over the police reports made against the EC on the later's negligence in the indelible ink usage? What was the major reason behind the actions from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) for transferring Major Zaidi out from his command post? Has Major Zaidi done any wrong in making a police report over the EC's negligence?

Well, it seems like Major Zaidi had purported caused some embarrassment on the EC and the federal government. But it does not mean that Major Zaidi has committed a mistake. What he has done (in lodging a police report) was actually correct, in his capacity as a Malaysian citizen and not as a senior civil servant. It looks like the ministry is punishing him by transferring him to a desk job because he is a civil servant.

In this case, for the armed force personnel to adhere to, which one are they supposed to follow? Loyalty to the nation or loyalty to the government? If we look back to what has been written in the Federal Constitution, the utmost importance is loyalty to the nation at all costs, not loyalty to the government.

What if the government has committed so many mistakes, committed all sorts of corruptions, power abuse, mismanagement, and squandering of public funds which cost the entire nation billions of Ringgit. Do you expect the members of the armed force to stay loyal blindly to such an inefficient and crooked government.

To all the members of the armed force and the security services, we would like to remind you all that your primary duties and responsibilities is to the nation and the federal constitution, whereas the government is secondary, depending on what kind of attitude the government would take.

The government of the day can be changed through general elections by the voters, that is our people. Loyalty To The Nation Comes First!