KUALA LUMPUR – A PAS lawmaker today affirmed his commitment to addressing the issue of veterans’ pensions, even if it meant appearing “stupid” in Parliament.
Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor (Ketereh-PN) urged the Defence Ministry to expedite the resolution of the veterans’ pension matter instead of resorting to legal appeals.
“I may be perceived as stupid, but I will keep raising the veterans’ pension issue. I am not concerned about other matters; this one requires immediate resolution,” he said during the winding up session for the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Khlir, a former major general in the armed forces, criticised the government’s responses, calling them excuses for prolonging the issue, claiming that terms like “being reviewed” and “brought to court for appeal” are delay tactics.
Pointing to the Armed Forces Act 1972, Khlir emphasised that the pension funds are clearly designated for payment, questioning Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“Why does the government need to appeal this matter in court?” Khlir asked amid an on-going court case on the matter.
The Ketereh MP insisted that veterans have a rightful claim to their pensions, as outlined in the legislation. He acknowledged the country’s financial crisis but urged a gradual resolution to the issue.
Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (Tanah Merah-PN) supported this stance, emphasising the disparity in workloads between armed officers and general workers and urging the government to take these differences into consideration.
Khlir expressed concern for veterans, particularly those living in B40 households, and said that the government’s responsibility to address their challenges is a sign of respect for their service and sacrifices.
In response, the defence minister said that the Malaysian Armed Forces Council should adhere to the policies of the government’s central agencies and that lawmakers, regardless of their differing views, should refer to the Federal Constitution and national laws.
“Although we (the lawmakers) have differing opinions and viewpoints in this august House, we are guided by the constitution and the laws that we enact together.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers’ view is that the Malaysian Armed Forces Council is subject to instructions or policies issued by central agencies such as the Public Service Department and the Malaysian Treasury from time to time,” he replied.
Last year, the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association urged the government to maintain the Penghargaan Khas Kepada Pesara (PKKP) special aid in Budget 2024.
Its president, Datuk Sharuddin Omar, expressed hope for the government to implement pension adjustments for ATM veterans who retired before January 1, 2013.
He said even though on June 28, the Federal Court ruled that the annual pension increase of 2% is against the Federal Constitution, the government continued to provide such benefits in the form of the PKKP scheme from July to December last year.
Sharuddin clarified that not all army retirees are demanding pension adjustments.
“Out of 134,682 ATM retirees, 78,546 veterans are involved in the pension adjustment. Of these, 73,339 fall within the B40 category based on their monthly pension without additional income sources.”
However, Sharuddin warned that the situation would be prolonged without improvement measures. – March 12, 2024
