Veterans association to request increase in compassionate assistance
SIBU: The Sarawak Veteran Armed Forces of Malaysia Association (SVAFMA) wants the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV) to increase members’ death compassionate assistance from RM3,000 to RM5,000.
“I will forward this request to JHEV and I hope that the government would consider this request as the cost of living is increasing,” said its president Francis Yeo at a press conference yesterday.
According to him, the association helps the next of the kin of deceased members apply for such government assistance and provide an additional RM200 from the association’s fund collected from the nationwide Warriors’ Fund last year in conjunction with Warriors Day Celebration.
“Every year, we receive permit from the Ministry of Defence to go around the town to seek donation for the national Warriors’ Fund.
“Whatever we collected is sent to JHEV for distribution to every afflicated association. The fund given is used for members’ welfare not just death compassionate assistance,” he stated after presenting the RM200 assistance to the next of kin of the 10 deceased members yesterday.
He said eight recipients were from the central region, one from Kuching and one from Miri.
Yeo explained that as a nongovernmental organisation (NGOs), SVAFMA does not have any fixed income and depended on JHEV and minor rural project grant from the government if any.
He further said that the government launches Warriors Day Celebration on July 31 every year but there has been no news so far.
He encouraged veterans to join the more than 3,000 members in the state.
Also present at the event were secretary Nambang Tandang and committee member Ayob Napi.