LaurieB wrote:
In today's Star: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/3/30/focus/17283771&sec=focus
Brilliant, David - and our thanks to eagle-eyed Laurie. Here is my letter to The Editor of The Star:
Sir,
Mr Dilley makes a telling point. Why does a small group of civil servants display such vigorous cynicism in their attempts to stop British citizens, and only British citizens, from wearing the honourable Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM)?
The case for wearing the medal is overwhelming as evidenced by the stunning support for the case from the majority of elected Members of Parliament, Privy Counsellors, and Barristers - and from the vast majority of the people of the United Kingdom who will always hold Malaysia in high regard.
But even when we produce irrefutable evidence for our case, a few civil servants continue to peel the onion. At each ‘peel’ they roll out ever-increasing layers of contradictory and misleading excuses. For example I have been told by the Cabinet Office that the London Gazette Notice (the official organ for promulgating Orders, Decorations, and Medals) does not apply to British veterans who are eligible to receive the PJM! Why? They have actually stated that they can resurrect a defunct 1969 internal paper (defunct by their own admission) to support their untenable case.
We have no doubt at all that the Gazette Notice promulgates The Queen’s permission for those eligible under it to wear their PJM. Eligibility was promulgated at the time in unambiguous terms – the only people to whom the Notice does not apply are Crown servants during their official life time at the time a medal is conferred. That’s not the vast majority of us. We retired long ago and well before The Queen approved the medal to be conferred in 2006.
We remain loyal to The Queen and will abide by her known decrees. Until the London Gazette Notice is rescinded or amended by Her we shall wear our PJM with honour and in so doing will be displaying our gratitude to, and high regard for, Malaysia. We are not going to let less than twelve civil servants dictate to us through erroneous statements that we should do otherwise.
Although we who are retired can wear our PJMs, we shall continue the campaign for all recipients to have formal permission to wear their medal. Those civil servants may publicly state that the PJM is not of sufficient standard to be worn, but we do not agree with that prejudiced 'assessment'. Nor, I believe, do the People of Malaysia. And it is they whom we PJMers shall never forget, and it is as much for them as for ourselves that we campaign for the full honour of the medal to be formally recognised by all and for all.
Thank you.
Barry Fleming
Stockbridge Cottage
Inkpen Common
Inkpen
Hungerford
Berkshire
RG17 9QP
United Kingdom
T: 0044 1488 668 100
E:
barry@fight4thepjm.org
[I confirm that this letter has been sent exclusively to The Editor of The Star]
_________________
BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
