'Parti yeye': Morality not private matter when national security involved - PAS

 

Morality stops being a private affair the moment it involves those entrusted with national security, PAS has argued amid much furore over alleged immoral activities inside the camps of those assigned to protect the country.

The party’s stance comes after content depicting military officers allegedly engaging the service of escorts was circulated online, with the unauthorised individuals said to have also been brought into officers’ mess halls for events dubbed “parti yeye”.

Commenting on the claims, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan stressed that moral conduct and professional discipline cease to become private matters when such factors involve those entrusted with the nation’s security.

He opined that this is due to how the nation’s safety could have been jeopardised through the holding of such events, which could have seen the unknowing inclusion of foreign “spies”.

“Discipline, personal integrity, and security awareness are essential to national defence.

“In today’s security environment, lapses in professionalism or judgement can expose personnel and institutions to exploitation, pressure, or external influence,” the Kota Bharu MP told Malaysiakini.

Conduct thorough internal probe

He added, however, that no assumptions should be made without evidence, noting that any issue involving the armed forces should be viewed as a “serious matter” warranting responsible action imposed via proper institutional channels and based on facts.

As such, Takiyuddin (above), who is also part of the parliamentary special select committee on security, further called on any necessary investigation to be carried out firmly and professionally.

Such measures, he said, should be coupled with efforts to reinforce discipline and security awareness within the armed forces, to safeguard institutional integrity and national security.

Earlier this week, the Defence Ministry ordered the armed forces to conduct an internal investigation to immediately determine the veracity of the claims.

The ministry also emphasised that the alleged activities do not portray the “true culture, values, and practices” of the armed forces, which it said have strong roots in discipline, professionalism, and adherence to strict security procedures.

“Should the allegation be found to be true, strict action will be taken against those involved according to the existing rules and laws,” it said in a statement on Dec 5.

Harmful consequences

Sources previously told Malaysiakini that the “parti yeye” culture has continued to plague the armed forces despite a 1985 ban and the formation of the Armed Forces Islamic Services Corp (Kagat), which faces difficulty in cracking down on such activities when high-ranking officers are involved.

Retired army brigadier general Arshad Raji also highlighted that such events could only take place with the knowledge and consent of a camp’s commanding officer, theorising that it would be “impossible” for them to claim ignorance of the happenings in their unit.

“What happened here (as alleged in viral claims) is not right. Do not turn officers’ mess halls into a whore house,” Arshad told Malaysiakini.

An ex-wife of an army captain also shared that her marriage fell apart within less than two years over an alleged conflict between her and her ex-husband related to wild party habits among military officers.

The woman, who only wanted to be known as Zhane, claimed that while the camp’s top brass allegedly knew about these parties, they had purportedly chosen not to act on the matter, despite her attempts to go through proper channels by reporting the problem up the chain of command. - Mkini