KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — For the first time, the government will be looking into the schemes of Malaysian Armed Forces pensionable and non-pensionable veterans at the first meeting of the Service and Retirement Schemes next Monday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the matter was not included in the review of the service scheme before this.
“I can announce several additional millions as made recently such as assistance for civil servants and e-wallet but these are only temporary measures.
“This is the first time so give me time said the Chief Secretary to the Government, a minimum of six months for an overall study and we will look into the financial implications but I believed we can resolve it once and for all,” said Anwar in a speech at the MAF Veteran Entrepreneur Empowerment programme at Wisma Perwira today.
For this purpose, the Prime Minister said he had held discussions with the Public Service Department director-general Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed and Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican so that the views of all veteran associations including the Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (PERHEBAT) will be taken into consideration before the meeting is held.
Also present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Armed Forces Chief Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang.
Anwar who is also the Finance Minister said the committee on service and retirement scheme which was chaired by the Prime Minister has not met for a long time with the last study on the matter carried out in 2012.
In this regard, he also urged government-linked companies (GLC) and government-linked investment companies (GLIC) to give attention to the needs and welfare of MAF veterans.
Anwar said the matter would be discussed in the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, among others requiring the companies concerned to absorb MAF veterans in the empowerment programme.
“In the Wednesday meeting, I will order all government agencies especially those dealing in Bumiputra affairs and other agencies such as trading, training, agricultural, and entrepreneurship to ensure there is space for MAF veterans and it should be implemented quickly not as a next year’s project but this week, God willing,” he said.
In another development, the Prime Minister said the political situation in the country is stable after the Unity Government took over administration and this is among the factors which drove Tesla Inc to open its headquarters in Cyberjaya.
Anwar said even though many leaders including Southeast Asian countries have stated their intention to meet the Tesla Inc and Space X founder and chief executive officer Elon Musk, Musk chose Malaysia.
“In the past, some of our leaders went to Tesla headquarters, and failed to meet him (Musk), now our country is peaceful, Musk wants to discuss with me.
“… and in just one session, he agreed (to invest in Malaysia) and has purchased a huge building in Cyberjaya as Tesla headquarters in Malaysia. The world’s wealthiest man who has been courted by various presidents, rulers and prime ministers chose Malaysia,” he said.
On July 14, the Prime Minister held a video conference with Musk for about 25 minutes.
In a statement later after the virtual meeting, Anwar expressed the thanks and support of the government on the opening of the headquarters, service centre and Musk’s Tesla electric vehicle brand experience centre in Selangor this year.
