The following article was in The Star newspaper in Malaysia and was sent to us by our committee member in Australia, John Feltham. Thanks John.
How can these impudent, arrogant British civil servants say that the PJM is a trinket or souvenire, or that as a medal it does not reach the required criteria. Someone has to get a grip of what is happening in our country.
Tuesday February 23, 2010
Veteran soldiers honoured with medals
SIMPANG RENGGAM: For retired soldier Major Mohd Said Mohd Jafrey, the most gruelling time of his 30-year career was when he fought communists at the Malaysia-Thailand border. The 63-year-old former serviceman said he faced danger daily in the jungles at the border during the 1960s, but the thought of serving the country kept him focused on the task. “There was a time where I accidentally stepped on a land mine and was nearly blown up. “But my infantry comrades rescued me,” he said. However, he did not escape unscathed as his right leg is scarred from the shrapnel that hit him.
He was among 20 retired servicemen presented with the Pingat Jasa Malaysia at a ceremony in Simpang Renggam recently.
Major Mohd Said said he was honoured and touched by the recognition accorded by the army and the Government. “I am proud. Half of my life was spent in the army and I appreciated the opportunity to protect my country at the front lines,” he said.
Another recipient, retired Capt Tan Too Gioh, 63, said that near-death experiences were normal in the army; a bullet from a communist’s rifle had missed his head narrowly. “Had the bullet been one inch lower, I will not be here,” he recalled.
In recognition: Ahmad Zahid (second from left) putting the medal on Tan during the recent ceremony in Simpang Renggam. “I served mostly in the jungles of Sarawak and Sabah repelling the communist intrusion into the country,” he said. Tan said his best memory was the camaraderie shared by the soldiers. “All of us were prepared to die for one another. Our bond continues till today,” he said.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who presented the medals, said the ex-servicemen should be praised for their sacrifices. “They were away from their wives and children to protect the rakyat. They risked their lives every day without an ounce of regret,” he said, adding that the medals were the Government’s way of saying thank you for their contributions.
Ahmad Zahid said the welfare of former servicemen remained a priority for the ministry.