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Messages from Malaysia
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I am touched by the warmth and gratitude of Malaysians both young and old who have expressed their gratitude for our service in their country.

Hamish

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Whilst we have many supporters from Malaysia, here is one that isn't, I think from a democracy we must put up all correspondence, good or bad!!

Dear John,

Your e-mail was passed to me as the man with "on the spot" responsibility for the Defence relationship with Malaysia. Thank you for your concern but I can report that our relations are excellent and that no fences need to be repaired. As you are probably aware, the official committee, which advises the Queen on matters of honours policy, recommended exceptions be made to the long standing rules regarding the award of medals. Non-British medals will not normally be approved for events or service:

- that took place more than 5 years before the initial consideration, or in connectiion with events that took place in the distant past (eg commemorative medals)

- if the recipient has received a British award for the same service.

You should be aware that the MoD and particularly the FCO worked hard to convince the committee of the need to allow the PJM to be awarded because HM Government believes it is important to recognise the generous gesture by the King and the Government of Malaysia, and their wish to acknowledge the service given by veterans and others in the years immediately following Malaysian independence. The exception recommended reflects this and our strong and important relationship with Malaysia.

The fact that formal permission to wear the PJM has not been given would come as no surprise to serving soldiers. I recall immediately following the first Gulf war, the King of Kuwait presented a similar medal and an exception to one of the rules was made (award of a non-British medal for the same campaign). I was honoured to present them to my troops back in the UK but they could not wear them on parade as serving soldiers. Veterans of the years immediately following Malaysian Independence up until 12 August 1966 will all have left the service; therefore, it should not be an issue and the Malaysians do not seem to regard it as one.

Assuming that you are entitled to receive the PJM, we have just been made aware that the Malaysian High Commission in London is holding a ceremony to award them on 19 August 2006 (My correction July 19th 2006) and there might be other opportunities. Veterans groups will be able to confirm the detail in the UK. We are in touch with some veterans groups from here and there is the possibility that the PJM might be presented by the Malaysian MoD during their visits.

Again assuming that you have served here, we are encouraging more veterans to visit Malaysia in 2007 when the country celebrates 50 years of Independence.

I hope this helps,

Paul Edwards

P A W EDWARDS
Col
DA Kuala Lumpur




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Whilst in Singapore in 1958 I worked with several Singaporeans/Malays that were either seconded to the RAF or were ROYAL MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE personnel some based at Seletar on 209 Squadron Pioneer Aircraft. Together with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Police, these guys I guess are also entitled to the PJM, if any of you are reading this post please let us know if you are entitled to The PJM and whether you received the GSM medal.


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Paul Edwards is just another suit and like a dogs tail is following his master.

I say again send those letter's to Margaret Beckett.

To the Malaysians thank you.

To the young Malaysian couple from Kuching in 1964 who invited a group of us RAF Lads to your wedding a very big thank you, I had to go back to Sinapore shortly afterwards and never did see the photo's.

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It is very encouraging to see messages such as these, especially from the younger generation.

Thank you all who have written in.

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LaurieB wrote:
It is very encouraging to see messages such as these, especially from the younger generation.

Thank you all who have written in.


And here is another:


"Dear Sirs,

Read about your struggle in Malaysian newspaper

As a Malaysian, I found out about this worthy site in Malaysia'a The Star daily 20th August 2006. I certainly support your struggle to have the right and recognition for wearing the honoured Pingat Jasa Malaysia. While I may not have been born during the Emergency, my father certainly was involved as he was a local young volunteer in the Malayan Army fighting the Communist insurgents then.

In fact, my father (Prof. Emeritus Dr. Col. Ariffin Suhaimi) was also one of the co-authors of the new pictorial book 'The Malayan Emergency 1948-1960' which further records with never before published photos on the heroic efforts of so many people, locals and British/Commonwealth members in the struggle against communist insurgency.

Most importantly, while defensive warfare was necessary, the Malayan Emergency was also notable for its parallel effort to look at the roots of the problem and thus to win the hearts and minds of not just the population not to support the insurgents but also of the communists themselves, and this was successful too! This holds a big lesson for what's happening with Bush's so-called War on Terror today.

BTW, I fully support the banning of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) terrorist leader chin peng's book as it contains many self-serving skewed interpretations that don't hold up to history nor common sense. His book is an insult to all Malaysians and the efforts of all the people who struggled against CPM's tyranny.

I salute you all, and may you win the rightful right to wear the PJM with pride and honour. "Pingat kami, Hak kami"!

With best regards,

Ahmad Najib Bin Ariffin
Architect and Chief Editor "ASIANA Heritage & Travel" magazine, Malaysia. "


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post And the messages from Malaysia continue to arrive 
Here's another welcome message of support. WE are very grateful to the men and women who take the time and trouble to write to us.

Name=Kow Chai Liew

Subject=Messages from Malaysia

Message=While in sqn 45, two heavy bombers came in namely Victor and Vulcan escorted by a squadron of lightning. Confrontation stopped thereafter. In Kuching I was admitted in BMH and I saw a British soldier stand to attention saluted the doctor. He had a bullet hole through his chest. This and others are enough to wear the PJM. I got my GSM in about 1965. I read a commentator who said he got his after 42 years ?!



Kow Chai Liew


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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BarryF wrote:
Here's another welcome message of support. We are very grateful to the men and women who take the time and trouble to write to us.


And another:

Name=Mohamad Redza Hashim

Subject=Memories BA-MS

Message=It's sad to hear that the British Gov did not acknowledge the PJM. Malaysia are under Comenwealth. Fighting in Malaya/Malaysia during this time is the same like fighting for your own motherland.

If the British Gov did not want to regconise this medal, than they did not appreciate their own country men who died fighting.

My late father was from the British Army before he joined the RMR. He went to England in 1956 for about a year. He almost died fighting the communist. I remember the transition period when the Malaysia Goverment take over the Sungai Udang Camp and Terendak Camp.


Mohamad Redza Hashim


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post Re: And the messages from Malaysia continue to arrive 
BarryF wrote:
Here's another welcome message of support. We are very grateful to the men and women who take the time and trouble to write to us.



Messages from Malaysia can be seen at http://www.fight4thepjm.org/the_pjm_Malaysian_comments.htm

We publish messages from all over the world. We do so at the foot of many of the web site pages. Please visit the web site and read what others say.

Better still .... Why not send us a quick message now!


Thank you.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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To our Malaysian friends
Thank you all for your kind letters in support of our campaign, they are more than appreciated. I served in the Malaysian Police for about nine years, during which I came to know your wonderful country, including the hutan. where I spent much of my time.

Foo Hong Tat.
I was pleased to read, where you were a platoon commander with a Police Field Force. For your interest, I was also a Plt Cmdr in a PFF ,and before the arrival of the PFFs, I served with a Police Jungle company.
Terima kaseh semua orang.
Jaga baik.
Roy.

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For all you good Malaysian people out there, we hope that the UK Government haven't embarrassed you into silence, or are you just keeping your powder dry for a rainy day Wink

Well we Veterans haven't forgotten your kindness in hospitality over the years and the award of the prestigious Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal. Some of our folk will be in your midst next August 31st to celebrate your 50th anniversary, they themselves will be wearing with pride Your and Our PJM in remembrance to a proud people and to honour our own that never made it back to the UK.

Hari Merdeka

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hari_Merdeka


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It gives the general impression that it is only the Malaysians, and the veterans, who knew we were there and what we had done, and the sacrifices we made.

What if we had been in derilection of our duty...said sod 'em...nothing to do with us... where would that have left the Far East then?

What would have been the price that the West would have had to pay for our shirking of our duty? It is unimaginable.

Well, we didn't, and reading the kind messages of support, from our host country, Malaysia, makes me proud to have served and played my very small part in their freedom.

All I can say is, thank you for your kindness and consideration from a nation that does care about us. My one sadness is, that I live in a country that doesn't care and tries its level best to sweep the matter under the carpet.

Yours Aye

Arthur

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