KUALA LUMPUR: Today Malaysia enjoys a period of calm and peace, but too often it is forgotten that this peace came at a bloody price.
Although Malayan independence was largely achieved through peaceful, diplomatic means, many risked life and limb in the years after Merdeka and the formation of Malaysia.
Force of arms and much sacrifice was necessary to defend the country from the insurgency of the Malayan Communist Party and the later Indonesian Confrontation.
Despite the service of many members of the armed forces, many veterans believe that their sacrifices have been forgotten, leaving them with many problems unresolved.
It has been many years since Sharuddin Omar last saw battle before retiring as a captain in the army. But the president of the Veterans’ Association of the Malaysian Armed Forces is still very much in fighting spirit.
In the association’s 100th anniversary year, he is working hard to bring the problems of ex-service members to public attention.
Speaking to FMT in his office at Wisma Pahlawan, Sharuddin spoke passionately about many unresolved matters such as pensions for widows and a pension disparity.
He said there was a big difference between the pensions earned by those who retired before 2014 and those after 2014. “It’s becoming bigger and bigger actually,” he said.
A major who retired before 2014 may very well be earning a much smaller pension than a private who retired after 2014.
“Those days, it was very difficult to be promoted. It was very competitive. Back then, it took up to 18 years to be a major. Now, you can be a lieutenant-colonel in that time,” he said.
Sharuddin said he hoped the Armed Forces Council could take on the task of overseeing all matters of salaries and pension.
He said many veterans had become ineligible for pensions, and thus found themselves in the B40 (lowest-income) group.
“They worked 24 hours a day all year round, subject to being called upon at any time,” he said. The least that could be done for them was to provide them with a monthly subsistence allowance.
Derivative pensions were another problem, he said. The family of a veteran who died would receive a derivative pension for 20 years after the pensioner leaves military service.
Sharuddin said the association wanted this period to be extended to 50 years.
He said a pensioner in his 40s who dies shortly after starting a family with someone of the same age would leave his widow a derivative pension only up to her 60s, with few means of income especially at that age.
He said the period must be extended.
Sharuddin said there was a need for a tribunal to examine the needs of ex-servicemen who had been dismissed on disciplinary grounds.
Under the Veteran Act, such servicemen and their families are not entitled to any of the privileges provided to veterans.
He said some of their cases should be re-examined, and pardons granted for minor offences.
Sharuddin also called for action to provide a monthly payment to veterans who received the Pingat Jasa Malaysia service medal, mostly those who served during the Emergency of 1948-1962. In 2019, a single payment of RM500 was given to recipients of the medal.
“As far as I’m concerned,” said Sharuddin, “the real fight of this country was during the Emergency period. These men deserve justice. Their service to the country simply cannot be compared.”
He said there was no reason for the country to reject the veterans’ requests. “Malaysians lead happy lives now because of our sacrifices. We made your lives as peaceful as they are now,” he said. - FMT
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