I have written to the Honours Secreatary of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office who has advised me that eligible British nationals can receive but not wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal . When I read stuff like this I feel glad I paid 10 quid and migrated to Australia 34 years ago. My email to chris.edge@fco.gov.uk is as follows:
Thank you for your belated response to my letter to the Foreign Secretary about the PJM. As a resident of Australia who holds dual nationality I am of course one of the few British veterans who can, with the full approval of The Queen and Government of Australia wear the PJM on formal occasions. This has been confirmed in writing by Eleri Pengelly of the Cabinet office. Nevertheless I am somewhat bemused how the HD committee, the FCO and the MOD can tie themselves in such knots over whether to accept a medal offered by a friendly Commonwealth Government. The fallacious reasons given why a foreign medal should not be worn sadden me. In a historical context there are many instances since the Crimean war of foreign medals being both rejected and accepted. The acceptance of such medals was driven more by political expediency than any other factor.
The British Government has of course the right to apply 'risk and rigour' criteria to the issuance of British medals , but I fail to see how this applies to a foreign medal, one issued in a commemorative context.
As you are probably aware many prominent people think the HD committee have made an error in not allowing the PJM to be worn The list is extensive but you will probably recognise the following names::
Lord Healey former British Secretary of State for Defence
Field Marshal Lord Bramall
Major General Corran Purdon
Dame Vera Lynn
In fact I would venture to suggest that the vast majority of senior officers who served in Malaysia do not support the HD committee decision on disallowing the wearing of the medal.
It saddens me to see the lack of support for middle aged and elderly veterans by senior bureaucrats in the British Government.
I would grateful if you could tell me a list of the previous awards the wearing of the PJM compromises and full details of how the PJM is seen to compromise the integrity of the honours system as a whole.
I look forward to your response in a timely manner
Regards
Hamish Waters
Borneo Veteran, British Army
http://www.fight4thepjm.org/
AUSTRALIA
