Kuala Lumpur: Pensions provided to Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) veterans are not meant to merely sustain their remaining years but to help them embark on new pathways, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He explained that most ATM veterans retire at a relatively young age-around 42 years old-when they are still energetic and capable of acquiring new skills or starting their own businesses.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the government is focusing on ensuring that when veterans reach retirement age, they can secure better, suitable, and reasonable employment, rather than relying solely on their pensions. Mohamed Khaled emphasized the aim to bridge the income gap among newly retired veterans through new job opportunities or improved employability. He made these remarks while presenting Armed Forces Veterans’ Disability Compensation (GHU) cheques, with ATM Department of Veterans Affairs (JHEV) director-general, Major General Datuk Semaon Marjuki, also in attendance.
Mohamed Khaled highlighted that over 300 ATM personnel have applied to further their studies at the diploma level through the Work-Based Learning (WBL) programme, which aims to enhance their career prospects and overall well-being post-service. For the first time, the government has allocated RM3 million this year to fund WBL costs, covering approximately RM6,000 per participant. Institutions currently involved in WBL include Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), with discussions ongoing to include more universities.
On September 15 last year, Mohamed Khaled encouraged ATM personnel and young soldiers to participate in WBL programmes to earn higher education qualifications, drawing parallels with practices in Germany and the United States. This initiative aims to enable veterans to enter new fields post-retirement.
Earlier, Mohamed Khaled presented GHU benefits to seven ATM veterans and care packages to nine others facing challenges such as hearing and speech impairments, service-related injuries, aging-related illnesses, heart disease, and disabilities, as well as those caring for children with disabilities. One recipient, 79-year-old Abu Bakar Khamis, an ex-Corporal and single father of six, expressed gratitude upon receiving RM42,000 in assistance after suffering injuries during an ambush by communist insurgents.
For the record, a total of 1,825 ATM veterans nationwide have suffered disabilities, including injuries sustained during active duty, with 292 of them injured during high-risk operations and training exercises.