Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) is set to hold talks with the Education Ministry (MOE) on involving Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans in security roles at schools and district education offices nationwide. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced this initiative as part of ongoing efforts to provide veterans with second-career opportunities.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ministry has already engaged with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) through the Veterans Affairs Department to recruit veterans as hostel wardens. As a pilot project, two Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) in Besut, Terengganu, and Balik Pulau, Penang, have appointed eight external wardens, comprising two men and two women at each campus. This initiative aims to enhance the welfare of MAF veterans by providing them with sustainable employment opportunities.
In another development, Mohamed Khaled addressed the recent arrest of five senior MAF officers by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. These officers were allegedly involved in leaking operational information to smuggling syndicates and have been suspended to allow for a transparent investigation. Mohamed Khaled emphasized that MINDEF would not tolerate any misconduct and assured that the incident would not impact the Armed Forces intelligence unit’s operations. He highlighted the MAF intelligence organisation’s system of compartmentalisation, which includes regular internal security audits and security vetting of personnel.
Mohamed Khaled further stressed that classified defence information remains tightly secured through protocols such as closed communication networks, encryption technology, and continuous monitoring. These measures are designed to protect national security and prevent any compromise of sensitive information.
The Dewan Negara session, where the minister made these remarks during the winding-up debate on MINDEF’s allocation under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), also saw other ministries such as the Works Ministry, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, and the Human Resources Ministry concluding their debates. The Dewan Negara sitting is scheduled to resume tomorrow.