21 Miri veterans benefit from 2024 Peduli Veteran Madani

MIRI (Nov 1): Twenty-one Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) veterans from Miri, out of the total 205 veterans nationwide, are listed under the 2024 Peduli Veteran Madani (PVM) programme.

Deputy Minister of Defence Adly Zahari said that under this programme, the welfare and well-being of ATM veterans remains a government priority.

“PVM is an initiative that reflects the ministry’s constant attention and care towards the welfare and well-being of veterans.

“On this 11th and final leg of the PVM tour, we reached out to 21 veterans in Miri to check on them and personally observe their living conditions, their children’s education, and their health status,” he told a press conference after visiting ATM veteran Benedict Balasingam at his residence in Taman Tunku, yesterday.

Benedict, 73, a First-Class Seaman, had served with ATM’s Marine Engineering Unit from 1970 until 1983.

Additionally, Adly advised all veterans to register and regularly update their personal information with the ATM Department of Veterans’ Affairs (JHEV) and local veteran associations, so they could receive government aids or schemes designed for them.

He disclosed that among the aids available for eligible veterans include the Cost of Living Assistance (BSH), school assistance, assistance for higher education institutions, patient equipment aid, and disaster relief.

“We hope that with the cooperation of JHEV and veterans’ associations, no veteran would be left without an income – at least RM500 per month – to meet their living needs,” he pointed out.

According to Adly, there are 16,773 ATM veterans in Miri, of whom 10,218 are retired veterans, 4,964 are non-pensioned veterans, while the remaining 1,591 are recipients of derived pensions.

The 21 veterans listed this leg of the PVM tour in Miri included five widows of veterans, one spouse, two children, and 13 veterans, including Sergeant James Mersing Imang of the Royal Ranger Regiment, who is a recipient of the prestigious Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB) medal.

Later, Adly presented essential supplies including food baskets, health supplements, disposable diapers, and health equipment to each veteran and family he visited.

Also present during the visit were JHEV deputy director-general Sophian Isswandy Ismail and JHEV Sarawak director Major Steven Kadir.