Our Objectives
The Pingat Jasa Malaysia has been offered to Commonwealth forces and civilians who served Malaysia between 1957 and 1966. The service to which the Malaysian Agong and Government refer achieved a clear victory in a war on terror. During these current difficult and dangerous times, what better opportunity do we have to demonstrate to the world that it really is possible for nations to work together to achieve success in the fight against terror, however long that may take. The Pingat Jasa Malaysia is a symbol of that success and we believe that it should be worn with pride - by Britons as well as by our Commwealth friends and allies.
Instead, the gracious offer has been snubbed and British citizens have been denied the right to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia. As a result, a shameful injustice has been perpetrated on British servicemen and women and civilians who served their country and Malaysia.
The Queen has granted her other Commonwealth citizens the right to wear the PJM and we, who have been denied that right, have been turned into second class citizens.
Our objectives are clear - to achieve a reversal of the shameful recommendation by the Honours and Decorations Committee and to be able to wear the medal that we earned - and to wear it with pride side by side with our Commonwealth friends who can wear their medal today.
Your turn now!
If you would like to comment on this page, please click here and send us your thoughts.
And here are some comments we've received:
Subject = Our Objectives
Comment = I agree entirely with your objectives. I would be pleased to know a logical reason for the apparent arbitrary decision not to allow UK service personnel to wear the award.
(Colonel(Retd.) P.M.Underhill OBE - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Comment = I whole heartedly agree with your objectives. It is difficult to see what point there is to having any award that cannot be proudly displayed in the proper manner on appropriate occasions.
(RL, UK - contact details supplied)
Subject = Wearing the PJM
Message=I was at RAF Seletar June 62 To December 64 operating in Malaysia. Labuan, Brunei then to 34 Sqn until July 65 still supply dropping over Borneo. No bull, if I get the PJM I shall wear it in honour to the bods who never came home.
(Les Lucas, UK - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Right as British Citizens
Message=This is typical, one rule for us and a different one for all the rest. This should be so clear cut. Why is it obvious to all except those who make these decisions. If the PJM has been awarded to those servicemen and women who served their country then they should most certainly have the right to wear the medal. Unbelievable! You have my utmost support.(James Tewkesbury, UK - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Message=Having served in Malaya between 1950 and 1958 and having to show for it is the GSM clasp Malaya, I would very much like to be given the PJM. It was known that during the ermegency, that the sultans were quite keen that a medal should be issued, this of course was before Merdeka 31 August 1957.(Bob Hayden, UK - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Message=It astonishes me that despite so many of us having served both our Queen and Country in the fight against Communist Terrorism in the Malayan campaign, the Malaysian Govt has seen fit to reward us with a medal for which the British Government has not only insulted the Malaysian Govt but it has also insulted we ex Malayan/Bornean/Indonesian fighters by refusing us permission to wear the campaign medal. It is remarkable that persons such as sportsmen, artists and similar non-combatants are offered and permitted to wear a clutch of British medals as a reward for kicking a bag of wind about a football field, for singing or playing a guitar etc., they (the recipients) didn't risk their lives as we did, fighting in the swamps and jungles of Borneo, Malaya. Those of us lucky enough to come out alive are not asking for money, we merely demand that we be permitted to wear what a friendly government has offered us by way of saying 'Thank you chaps for doing a good job'! But of course, as I have been informed so many times, the Malayan campaign, along with the Borneo and Vietnam campaign were 'undeclared wars'. What is it about some politicians that makes them act as though we servicemen (ex-servicemen) as some sort of alien life form?Malaysia is not asking the British Government to pay for the PJM, that gracious government simply wishes to register its thanks for the excellent job we all did, a job that cost many of our colleagues their lives.To all those insensitive and obviously totally ignorant public servants who would stand in the way of our right to wear the PJM, I suggest they find themselves a real job, rather than sitting behind a desk, waiting for their superannuation time to come to fruition. Yours sincerely, Cpl Offord, Ex RAF Malaya 1956-59 Cyprus 1961-64, Singapore 1967-70 then New Zealand Navy 1970-73.
(Terry Offord, Australia - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Message=Keep on fighting i would just like to wear the PJM thank you.
(Andrew Jamieson ex-Royal Marines, UK - contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Message=Without our help the Federation of Malaysia would not have taken place. I took part in the Guard of Honour on the Malaysian Foundation Parade at Kuching whilst serving with 42 Commando and then went back up country to Padawan. At one time the British Forces were patrolling and holding, against an Indonesian enemy, a 1,000 mile border.This award from the Government of Malaysia is in recognition of the British and Commonwealth Forces efforts to "Keep the Peace" in an area which could have seen a very bloody conflict reminiscent of the Malaya troubles of the late 50's which the Malaysian Government also seek to recognise. If our Commonwealth "buddies" can wear it officially please someone explain why the British and largest contingent are denied the same rights.
(Ian F, ex-Royal Marines, UK - name contact details supplied)
Subject = Our Objectives
Message=Heartily support your efforts on behalf of those entitled to the award. Shame it could not have included those who served from 1949; non the less more strength to your combined elbows.
(David Morgan, UK - name and contact details supplied)
