KUALA LUMPUR – The federal government should look into ensuring that pensioners from the armed forces would be able to opt into better alternative careers upon their retirement, said former deputy defence minister Liew Chin Tong.
Speaking to The Vibes, Liew called on the Defence Ministry (Mindef) to focus on getting civil bodies to officially recognise the work skills of servicemen that could be utilised upon post-retirement instead of merely adjusting their pension scheme.
“Jobs are the key. Good-paying jobs are very important. One thing most people outside the military setting do not understand is that soldiers from other ranks (non-commissioned officers) mostly retire when they are in their 40s.
“They need jobs and not just pensions, especially those with kids who are growing up. The needs of this particular segment require lots of attention.
“We need a whole-of-government approach to help veterans to find good jobs with decent pay.
“For example, KDN (Home Ministry) can get the various security industries to hire veterans with skills for a certain level of salary.
“Mindef must try to get other civilian authorities to certify and recognise skills and certificates that soldiers obtained while serving in the army,” he said when contacted recently.
This in turn, he said, will allow these individuals to be recognised with proper qualifications and considered as a skilled workforce.
In Malaysia, 18 years is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service and those who serve for more than 21 years will be eligible for a pension.
Liew’s feedback comes after hundreds of army veterans held a peaceful protest at the National Monument on June 6, pleading to the government to resolve issues surrounding their pension, among others.
For armed forces personnel, their pension schemes fall under the Regular Forces (Pension, Gratuities and Other Benefits) Regulations 1982 and were last adjusted in 2013.
This act differs from the Pensions Act 1980, which applies to other civil servants.
Older veterans who retired before 2003 have complained that their pension at present does not reflect the current economic reality.
“The Treasury Department and Mindef need to tell the public the truth about the present gap and the overall costs, and whether the gap can be partially filled.
“For the older ones, in whatever the government could afford, some forms of priority medical care could be given, i.e., treating them as a priority group at government medical facilities,” he said.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has stated that the ministry will announce improved initiatives for army veterans soon, involving armed forces tribunal pardons and those related to pensions for widows of servicemen.
However, Hishammuddin said it will require some time, as it involves other ministries and is subject to the government’s allocation. – The Vibes, June 16, 2022
