MP: Veterans need govt’s help in coping with life after retirement

KUCHING: The Ministry of Defence should give due consideration to the military veterans who have dedicated their life to defending the sovereignty and security of the country.

In this regard, Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin believes that this group has been ‘marginalised, excluded and least attended to’ during the reign of the previous government, in that many of these veterans are struggling in life after retirement.

According to him, there are several things that need to be seriously considered in terms of helping the veterans to cope with the high cost of living.

He lists out increasing the amount of their pensions in accordance with the new payroll rate of the currently- serving military personnel, and conducting reviews on the welfare of veterans who have opted for early retirement and also those who are down with disability – as among the considerations.

“I appeal to the Pakatan Harapan government to rise and strive to improve the welfare of our veterans, who have been marginalised during the reign of the previous government,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Willie also proposed for the federal government to grant land lots to the veterans as stipulated under Malaysian Armed Forces Council Orders 1973, the RM1,500 in monthly pension for those down with lifetime disability, and oneoff ex- gratia of RM300,000 for all disabled veterans of war, regardless of which year their service ended.

The parliamentarian also took the opportunity to wish all military veterans in Malaysia a ‘Happy Warriors Day’, which was celebrated yesterday.