KUALA LUMPUR – In a plea for recognition and support, highly decorated veterans who fought during the communist insurgency have urged the government to reconsider the monthly allowance for the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) title, proposing an increase from the current RM2,000.
Datuk Paul Kiong, 80, and Datuk Etin Jam, 85, both former police officers and SP recipients, believe that a higher allowance is crucial given the rising cost of living.
The SP title, the highest federal award in Malaysia, was bestowed upon them for their “supreme courage and bravery in extraordinary and highly dangerous situations,” surpassing other prestigious titles like Datuk, Tan Sri and Tun.
During a press conference at the Royal Malaysia Police Museum yesterday, the veterans expressed their disappointment with the lack of recognition for their contributions in combating the communist insurgency from 1968 to 1989.
Kiong urged the Malaysian government to follow the United Kingdom’s example to enhance the livelihoods of veterans. He questioned the disparity between the prestigious title and the limited support provided, emphasising that there were only five living SP title holders out of Malaysia’s 32-million population.
“In the UK, the government reviews pension money every five years to keep it updated and balanced according to the economic status,” he said, urging Putrajaya to follow suit for the good of Malaysian veterans.
“We are grateful for the government, but they can do more for us for the prosperity, peace and harmony that we have brought to the country now,” Kiong said.
Kiong, who received the title in 1983, recounted his experiences as a police constable in the 1960s, detailing his involvement in special operations against the Malayan Communist Party in the 1980s. He highlighted his daring role as a spy among the communist troops for six years in Perak.
Etin, the only living SP holder from East Malaysia, was awarded the title in 1972 for his efforts in combating communists as a constable in the Miri Police Field Force.
Etin’s daughter, Linda Nacha, who spoke on his behalf at the press conference, noted her father’s sacrifices, adding that he nearly lost his life in a dangerous operation.
“I was just 4-years-old when my father was involved in that mission. I would have been a child who lost a father if something happened to my father that day.
“We, as the children (of the veterans), need our fathers’ sacrifice to be recognised,” she said.
Also present at the press conference was former Port Dickson MP Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, a navy veteran, who emphasised that many retired officers, part of the combined security force, now had physical disabilities and were without proper support.
“After 1989 (the end of the communist insurgency in Malaysia), the people still remembered the fight with the communists, but now, after over 30 years, many people don’t remember the sacrifices done by us.
“We chose to serve the people and the country instead of looking for a well-settled life,” said Danyal, who spent two years combating the communists in the late 1980s.
Highlighting the sacrifices made, Danyal stressed that the issue of allowance raises for the SP award should be promptly addressed. He noted that some veterans who had sought an increase had already passed away, underscoring the urgency of the matter.
Danyal pointed out that in 2013, during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s tenure as prime minister, the allowance was raised by only 2%, a nominal increase of RM20 to RM30. He also urged the current government to review this matter and cited the UK’s approach of reviewing pension funds every five years. – March 9, 2024