‘Army always willing, ready to assist veterans’
by Johnson K Saai, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 10, 2012, Friday
GLAD TO MEET YOU: Zulkifli greeting the veterans on his arrival at the Civic Centre in Kuching yesterday.
KUCHING: The Malaysian Army is always willing and ready to help lighten the burden faced by needy army veterans through any possible means when required.
Malaysian Army chief General Datuk Zulkifli Zainal Abidin said the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families were not directly under them therefore it was natural that they would face some limitations in helping needy veterans and families.
“There are other agencies involved in looking after the welfare and needs of the veterans. One of them is Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV) and the other is probably the Rural and Regional Development Management Ministry.”
“Anyway we are always there to assist the veterans for instance to help them build their houses provided they are eligible for funds from the ministry under the government’s housing scheme for hardcore poor families,” he said.
Zulkifli added that under the Blue Ocean Strategy the army had helped construct more than 800 over units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) for hardcore poor families funded by Rural and Regional Development Management Ministry in Sabah, Sarawak and interior parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
“So if there are any veterans who are eligible for such schemes we will surely give them top priority. We will not provide them the funds because we don’t have money but we can provide the manpower,” he said.
He said this during a meeting with members of Sarawak Ex-Servicemen Association (PBTM) here yesterday in response to
one of the matters raised by Sarawak PBTM’s chairman Spencer Birai in his welcoming address.
Later, Zulklifli explained that his meeting with the veterans here yesterday should not be misinterpreted as trying to take over the role and responsibility of JHEV but merely to get first hand feedback from the veterans in Sarawak on their problems and needs.
“I am here today (yesterday) to gather as much information as possible to bring up in our future high level meetings. I don’t want to promise anything but I assure you that all the matters raised today will be brought up to the attention of authorities concerned,” he said.
On the difficulties of ex-servicemen with contract license getting projects in military and national service camps, Zulkifli said that should not have happened.
“In principle priority should be given to licensed ex-servicemen contractors on a rotation basis. I don’t know the policy here but I would urge the officers concerned to give this matter due consideration,” he said.
Among those present at the occasion yesterday were First Division Infantry Commander Major General Datuk Mohd Zaki Mokhtar, State JHEV director Lt Col Monday Juhid and Sarawak PBTM advisor Major Peter Runin (retired).
