KUCHING: The Ministry of Defence will liaise with the Malaysian Armed Forces Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV) Sarawak Branch to resolve the problems of ex-servicemen living in poverty.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said here yesterday that he was not aware that some 60 per cent of ex-servicemen in the state were impoverished.
“I am not aware of the report (about the poverty). I will investigate the matter, and I promise to get as much data and information as possible to resolve it.”
On Wednesday, local media reports quoted JHEV Sarawak as saying that 60 per cent of the 13,500 ex-servicemen in the state were living in poverty.
It added that only 6,500 of these army veterans were members of JHEV Sarawak Branch, and urged the rest of them to come forward and register themselves.
Zahid revealed that most ex-servicemen did not have a pension.
“My ministry will act as soon as possible to rectify this issue, if there is indeed a case. We have programmes to help them lead better lives. Let us hope that everything will be okay.”