State Armed Forces veterans association donates wheelchair to bureau member

SIBU: The Sarawak Veteran Armed Forces of Malaysia Association (SVAFMA) yesterday donated a wheelchair to the wife of its bureau head in Song District, Mohammad Sarkawi Ahmat.

Mohammad Sarkawi received the donation on behalf of his wife from association president Thomas Ling. His wife, Hamalah Rejim, has been suffering from diabetes for about four years, and is having problem walking.

“My wife needs this because she is having problem moving around,” Mohammad Sarkawi told reporters at a press conference after receiving the wheelchair.

He said his wife’s strength started to fail since she was found to be diabetic.

“Recently, she was diagnosed with kidney failure, and is currently undergoing dialysis,” said Mohammad Sarkawi, who joined the Armed Forces in 1984 and retired in 2008.

Meanwhile, Ling told reporters that the association has always been sensitive to the welfare of its members.

He said Mohammad Sarkawi’s request for a wheelchair for his wife was granted in less than a month.

“To get things such as wheelchair, veterans need not have to appeal to the public. The government has allocations for such assistance to the veterans,” Ling said, advising veterans who require assistance to contact the association.

“The government also has National Aid ( Bantuan Bakti Negara) for the veterans since last year. It is a one- off assistance to the veterans,” he said.

Ling also disclosed that his association has approved the application for assistance to 12 disabled veterans and five disabled children of its members.

“For the veterans, we give each RM500 and for the children, we give each RM300. The money was raised during our Warrior Day celebration,” he said.

The association has other forms of aid for members, like schooling aid for their children, natural disaster relief aid, funeral expenses and so on.

Ling said veterans are welcomed to drop in at the association’s office in Tuanku Osman Road from 8am till 5pm, Monday to Saturday, to learn more.

Alternatively, call the office at 084-349755 or 010-9337056.

For those in Kuching, the SVAFMA Siburan Service Centre can be reached on 082- 862598 and in Mukah, 084-872696.

Ling (third left) presents a wheelchair to Mohammad Sarkawi as administration officer from the Malaysian Armed Forces Veteran Affairs Department Sgt Iswandy Sa’di (centre) and others look on.