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Is it a Service or Commemorative war Medal
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Post when is a medal not a commorative medal? When its a PJM! 
This has gone to Sally Keeble, Don Touhig et al

I sent examples both of the Commemorative medal, Pignat Peringatan Malaysia Roys copy and one from a Malaysian Web site in colours with the three grade shown and The Citation for the PJM with a copy of the medal attached; sadly, I'm not technical enough to get them over from 'words'

"Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. We have been told by the Foreign and Commonwealth that the matter of the PJM is a matter for themselves and no others, including presumably the Cabinet Office Ceremonial Officer. Also that the description of the PJM is a matter for the Malaysian Government - which as you will see in the PJM Citation, is described by them as a Service to Malaysia Medal. It would seem to be sheer arrogance for the various ceremonial departments to change the meaning given by the Malaysian Government, and replace it with a description of their own to conform with the stance they have taken over the PJM since it was first awarded.

2. Members continue to receive correspondence from the Cabinet Office Ceremonial (and other Departments) signed presumably by an officer in the Cabinet Ceremonial Office repeating the old and wrong message that the Pingat Jasa Malaysia is a commemorative medal.


3. I (we) cannot understand why it is so difficult to understand the difference between a campaign medal, a commemoration medal and a medal for service to Malaysia,i.e. the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (translated as Service to Malaysia Medal).

4. To that end, for your information and the edification of the Cabinet Office Ceremonial Officer and his team, I attach the following:

Citation and Medals of the Pingat Peringatan Malaysia which is a commemorative
Medal, and,

The Citation and Medal of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia, which is a Service to Malaysia
Medal, and most definately not a commemorative medal.

5. I was concerned to note that a commercial company, in its brochure, also describes the PJM as commemorative, and places it amongst the Bling or what I have heard referred to as Mickey Mouse Medals, worn in contravention of LG 5057 3rd May 1968 and paragraph 21 of JSP 761.

6. The PJM is a properly constituted medal, awarded by the King of Malaysia, and accepted by Her Majesty early in 2005, before the review which rewrote the then current regulations; the outcome of the review was the addition of a new Part, Part C, which to all purposes. precluded the wearing of the PJM, referred to both in the House of Lords, and in the Commons statement as a commemorative medal.

7. Since earlty 2005 when the PJM had been accepted by The Queen, and in accordance with LG 5057 of 3rd May 1968, accepted for wear, the Cabinet Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and the MOD DS Sec have continually asserted that the PJM was a Campaign or Commemorative, medal, that we are still 'Crown Servants', and what ever other obstruction these people could put in our way to achieve our right to wear the PJM.

I would be grateful if you could spread the word regarding the correct status of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia, preferably before another rewrite, which might add Service to Malaysia medals to Part C as well as campaign medals and commemorative medals.

Please disregard and consign to the dustbin my previous email full of errors.

Yours sincerely,

David Dilley

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Murry
You are quite right the NZ site does class the PJM as a Commemorative Medal and so do many other official and commercial sites; that’s the trouble with a myth if you propagate it enough it can be come a fact.
But the truth is the PJM is a Service Medal also you will note that none of these sites class the PJM as a Campaign or Commemorative War Medal which are the only two that are exempt under the LG Notice 5057.
We have had legal experts look at the LG Notice and they conclude that the PJM can be worn.
The trouble with our Senior Civil Servants is that they cannot be challenged you can complain to his or her superior and so on until you come to the head of the Civil Service Sir Gus O’Donnell (AKA GOD) and if you do not like his decision he tells you to write to your MP.
If Sir Gus takes no notice of Ministers he certainly not going to worry about a Back Bencher.
We have right on our side and we will win this fight no matter how long it takes.
Yours in Comradeship
Paul

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Post Is it a Service or Commemorative war Medal 
Paul

I believe we may be at cross purposes with the meaning of Commemorative Medals. In NZ the PJM is a War Service Campaign Medal, not a Commemorative Medal. In general we regard Commemorative Medals as "Bling" and are not part of our Honours and Awards System, the exception being the NZ 1990 Commemorative Medal which was instituted by the NZ Govt to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This medal was a one off award to a small number of people in recognition of their contribution to NZ life. Prince Charles was one such recipient.

All medals listed on the NZ Defence Force Medal website are State Orders, Gallantry and Bravery Awards and NZ, British and Foreign War Campaign Awards (plus the NZ 1990 Medal).
The NZ govt is introducing a NZ Defence Force Medal which will be availabe next year for all serving and ex-service personnel who have completed a minimum period of yet to be specified length of military service. Coupled with this medal issue is the intention to license all Medal Mounters to prevent "Commemorative bling" being racked with officially awarded medals. The illegal practice of wearing "bling"with official awards is to be policed.

Murray

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Murry
Many thanks for the clarification, I am no medal expert but neither are the Whitehall pen pushers.
I’m glad to hear that NZ is to award a Defence Medal but I do not think the UK will follow suit, they should do then all ex Servicemen & Women would have something for their service to their country.
Regards
Paul

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Post Is it a Service or Commemmorative war Medal 
Paul

One of the main reasons for the establishment of a NZ Defence Medal is to acknowledge the military service of many ex-service personnel who served in some cases for many years without any medallic recognition. This was particularly so during the late 60's to the late 80's when the NZ Defence Force were not involved in any overseas deployments apart from Vietnam and the odd UN observer role.

This lead to the proliferation of "bling" as a means of of identifying themselves as ex-servicemen on occasions such as Anzac and Remembrance Day parades. This situation has been exacerbated by the number of new "veterans" sporting medals from the many peacekeeping roles that NZ is involved in. The days of issuing clasps to a single GSM have long gone replaced by a GSM for each specific operation. A medal for service will I believe solve the issue for home service only ex-service personnel.

Murray

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