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Post Another MP to add to the list 
One of my colleagues had a reply from her MP last week, to a letter that she sent him. It's a good one.

Gerry,

Just to keep you in the picture - re the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
award...
Nick Herbert (MP) wrote back as follows:
"I have considerable sympathy with your colleague that, although
the Government has approved the award, veterans are not allowed to
wear it.
I have asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will
reconsider this decision. I will be touch (sic) with you again when
I have his reply."

Hope its going well,
Suzi


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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Post Re: Another MP to add to the list 
GerryL wrote:
One of my colleagues had a reply from her MP last week, to a letter that she sent him. It's a good one. ... Nick Herbert (MP)


I've got a lot of updating to do ... I'll add his name asap.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post Tony Blair's trip down under 
I have just sent this email to Tony Blair.

While Mr Blair is in Australia/New Zealand perhaps he could ponder how he, as UK Prime Minister, can be happy with his Government's treatment of British veterans of the Malaya/Borneo campaign and the award of the PJM, which allows us to recieve but not to wear, when our Commonwealth brothers in arms have been given unrestricted approval to accept and wear. These campaigns marked a victory in the war on terror.


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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Post Re: Tony Blair's trip down under 
GerryL wrote:
I have just sent this email to Tony Blair.

While Mr Blair is in Australia/New Zealand perhaps he could ponder how he, as UK Prime Minister, can be happy with his Government's treatment of British veterans of the Malaya/Borneo campaign and the award of the PJM, which allows us to recieve but not to wear, when our Commonwealth brothers in arms have been given unrestricted approval to accept and wear. These campaigns marked a victory in the war on terror.


That says it for me, too, Gerry Thanks.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post TheyWorkForYou 
I have just posted this as a comment in response to a question asked about the Veteran's Badge.

The introduction of the Veteran's Badge was an excellent idea. Now if the Government can just sort out the mess that has been made of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia debacle, all veterans will be happy. As it stands, the British Veterans of Malaya/Borneo have been treated like second class citizens within the Commonwealth personnel who served in those Campaigns


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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Post My MP - again 
Another email sent off to my MP. She seems very reluctant to contact me - all I get is automated acknowledgements that my email has been received, and one written letter which said that she had written the "Minister". With a majority of just 37 at the last election, she might be looking for other employment next time around.

Dear Ms Moffatt
Following my previous emails and letter to you concerning the decision to withhold approval for British Malaya/Borneo veterans to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia, I draw your attention to a recent announcement in the London Gazette dated 23 November 2005.
"it is announced that Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that membesr of Her Armed Forces who were in the service of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman on either loan or contract terms at the date of the celebration of the Sultanate's National Day in November 2005, and who are eligible to receive from the Sultan the 35th Renaissance Medal (35th National Day Medal) in recognition of their services, may accept and wear the meda; with unrestricted permission".
So, serving Armed Forces personnel are to be allowed a purely commemorative medal from a non-Commonwealth nation. In effect, they are being given a slice of the Omani birthday cake and are being allowed to eat it. In the meantime the 35 000 British veterans, no longer serving, who have been honoured by the Malaysian King for the service that was rendered during that nation's formative years are to be denied the right to wear the PJM. At a stroke they have become second class veterans in Her Majesty's Commonwealth. Ro add further insult to that already given to the British veterasn and to the Malaysians, this announcement was promulgated at the same time that the HD Committee was deliberating the PJM issue. I am aware that the wording in the announcement states "on loan or contract", but I would suggest that in the minds of the British veterans, this is a matter of semantics rather than substance. There is a mood of anger within the ranks of the veterans, who only seek justice from their own government, but who are being denied this fundamental right. Malaysia is a long-standing member of the Commonwealth, whereas Oman is not. I ask the question - what marks out the difference between these nations that encourages such arbitrary contempt for one against the other, and by association, the veterans? Am I being somewhat cynical if I say that I detect a whiff of oil in this matter? Our web site www.fight4thepjm continues to gain strength, and two holders of the Victoria Cross now support our cause. Please act now to get justice for the veterans. Regards Gerald Law


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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Post Re: My MP - again 
GerryL wrote:
Another email sent off to my MP. She seems very reluctant to contact me - all I get is automated acknowledgements that my email has been received, and one written letter which said that she had written the "Minister". With a majority of just 37 at the last election, she might be looking for other employment next time around.


Another belter, Gerry! Great stuff.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post Re: My MP - again 
GerryL wrote:
Please act now to get justice for the veterans. Regards Gerald Law


I think that you could have added one more para....to the effect that the next election is looming and that you have just noticed that her majority in the last election was a mere 30 odd votes.

And further - "to my knowledge there are 39 ex-servicemen in your electorate that served in the Malaysian theatre of operations, for which this medal, the PJM is being awarded.


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Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka,
from the HD Committee and its decision.
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Post Adjournment debate 
In the adjournament debate in the Commons yesterday, prior to the MP's taking off for their Easter recess, the following comments was made. I add the comment that I made on TheyWorkForYou. This might be of use to Barry when he meets his MP?

A much more mature debate is taking place in America. American military doctrine is being questioned—not just the decision to go into Iraq, but how the American military conduct themselves. The idea of overwhelming strength, which has been a basic American military doctrine since Colin Powell, is being questioned as an appropriate response to insurgency. Americans are looking at the conduct of British troops back in the Malay insurgency and in east Africa, to learn lessons about how to deal effectively with insurgency.


Once again we hear the success of the Commonwealth actions in Malaya/Borneo being held up as an example of how to conduct such a war, and the US have at last realised that they can learn lessons from the British in that regard. And yet HMG allow the ridiculous charade to continue whereby British veterans, unlike their comrades in arms from Australia and New Zealand, are not to be "formally" permitted to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia. This has been offered by a grateful Malaysian people and Her Majesty, on the advice of the Australian and New Governments, has given them unrestricted permission to accept and to wear. The same "Her Majesty", on the advice of the HD Committee, has refused permission to wear. It's long past time that the House made an effort to correct this shameful anomaly.


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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Post  
Just been trying to find the exact quote in Hansard for the above mentioned Adjournment debate.

I want to post it to a friend in Malaysia.

Anyway, I did find this.

Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) officials and (b) commanders of UK forces on the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal. [53368]


28 Feb 2006 : Column 621W


Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with either officials or commanders of UK forces about the Pingat Jasa Malaysia, which is a commemorative medal instituted by the Malaysian Government for service between August 1957 and August 1966.

On behalf of the Government, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for administering the policy relating to the acceptance and wear of non-British awards by British citizens.

John f


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Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka,
from the HD Committee and its decision.
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Post Re: Adjournment debate 
GerryL wrote:
This might be of use to Barry when he meets his MP?.


It will be Gerry, because it adds weight to the substance and rigour of the PJM.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post  
Gerry,
On a similar tack...I was working at the defence acadamy Shrivinam recently when I got into a conversation with one of their professors who specialised in Islamic studies. The subject of the confrontation came up and the professor was really keen to know more from someone who had actually been there. She told me that the "Hearts and Minds" policy we adopted out there is used as a model example of how to deal with insurgency and terrorism.
It looks like we can be used as beacons and ambassadors for the work we did, but second class veterans when it comes to gratitude!!

Bob Bryant

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Post Veterans Day 
I've just visited the Veteran's Agency site and downloaded their information leaflet for the National Veteran's Day. It makes no mention of the medals that Gordon Brown announced would be awarded at these events, but it does say that the Agency will be able to help events organisers to arrange for formal Veteran's Badge presentations to take place. Now call me an old cynic if you like, and I do qualify on both counts, but I just wonder if Gordon Brown didn't actually mean "medals" when he said "medals" but is getting himself confused as to what is pinned on to the blazer of a veteran. Perhaps he really does believe that the Veteran's Badge is a medal. Such a cock-up is not surprising when people who know nothing about the subject begin to pontificate on the subject. Don't worry, Gordon. If Tony won't move over, you obviously have ideal qualifications to sit on the HD Committee.


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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When Brown announced the Vets Day and the badges I always imagined that it meant the Vets badge and not the PJM. If it were the PJM I would not accept anything from our Government when it was awarded by another, in my opinion apart from confirming whether that person was entitled to the PJM it has SOD all to do with them......... Confused


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HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
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Post Tony Blair response 
I have just received this from 10 Downing Street. It's not much help to the human race, but at least it one more submission to find its way into the den of those who made the decision. But it raises an interesting question in my mind. The highest elected officer in the land (the PM) has no control or influence over a non-elected group of Civil Servants. What does that say about our democracy, and about the futility of using our vote? Just a point to ponder.

10 DOWNING STREET
LONDON SW1A 2AA
From the Direct Communications Unit 3 April 2006


Mr Gerald Law
6 Knole Close
Worth
Crawley
West Sussex
RhO 7GA


Dear Mr Law

The Prime Minister has asked me to thank you for your
recent letter and the enclosure.

He hopes you will understand that, as the matter you raise is
the responsibility of the Cabinet Office, he has asked that
your letter be forwarded to that Department so that they may
reply to you direct on his behalf.

Yours sincerely
G EDWARDS


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Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)
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