Deputy minister urges army veterans not to support Anwar

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WARM WELCOME: Dr Abd Latiff being welcomed by army veterans when attending a meeting session with them.

SIBU: Army veterans in Sarawak are strongly reminded not to support opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who had previously supported the ex-chairman of Malaya Communist Party, Chin Peng.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad said it is a form of inferiority to all army veterans who have sacrificed their precious lives in fighting against the communists, including those in Sarawak.

“And now, he (Anwar) comes over to Sarawak and tries so hard to fish for votes from all of you who had sacrificed so much, even your own life, to fight the communists. This is something which is clearly not right. That is why all the army veterans should never listen or support him,” he pointed out.

He was speaking at the ‘Deputy Defence Minister Meeting Session with Sarawak State Army Veterans’ held at MUC Hall, yesterday.

Veterans Affair Department director-general Mej Jen Dato’ Zulkiflee Mazlan, Commander of the Ninth Brigade Infantry Brigadier-General Stephen Mundaw, Ex-Servicemen Association Sibu Branch chairman Thomas Ling Kui Eng, Temenggong Datuk Wan Hamid Edruce Tuanku Mohamad and N49 Nangka Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Annuar Rapaee were among those present.

Dr Abd Latiff added that Anwar, who is the advisor of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), had previously supported Chin Peng in getting his Malaysian citizenship.

“I must remind all Sarawakians that there is no reason for us (army veterans) to support Anwar. Chin Peng is fully responsible for the killing of so many of our armies, who had put their lives at the forefront to protect our nation, including Sarawak, during the communist insurgency,” he stressed.

He appealed to all army veterans here and their families to rally solidly behind the Barisan Nasional candidates in the coming state election this Saturday.

At the meeting, Dr Abd Latiff presented the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) to 11 army veterans namely Mohd Bakri Serawi, Lidum Jamba, Luyoh Malung, Muling Jambal, Anthony Lugad, Kassim Mohamad, Karie Ali, Mamat Barieng, Ahmad Razali, James Chua Francis Main and Mohaini Saad.