PETALING JAYA: An NGO representing retired armed forces personnel has called on the Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV) to update its records.
National Patriots Association (Patriot) president Mohamed Arshad Raji said this would ensure that all veterans, including those without pensions, receive the government’s aid for former servicemen.
“Since 2019, all pension and non-pension veterans should have received a total of RM1,250,” he said in a statement today.
This comprised RM250 for a 2019 bonus, RM500 for Pingat Jasa Malaysia recipients and RM500 under the Prihatin economic stimulus package.
“It is doubtful that all veterans, including non-pensioners, received the RM1,250 payout.
“JHEV might not have the records, including the bank account details of all veterans, especially the non-pensioners.”
Arshad said Patriot is especially concerned about the elderly veterans who have lost touch with their comrades as well as those who live in rural areas and may not be aware of the aid.
“In any case, an attempt must be made to reach out to them. Patriot humbly requests all veterans’ associations to work closely with JHEV on this matter.”
Earlier this year, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the defence ministry was trying to locate and identify some 30,000 non-pensionable veterans who had yet to register with JHEV.
Separately, Patriot also called on the government to consider the plight of veterans who retired before 2004 as there is a “huge disparity” in the pension scale of those who retired before and after that year.