Bayaran Ex Gratia

Veteran...Sesiapa boleh memberitahu maklumat terkini tentang pembayaran 'ex gratia' yang diumumkan oleh YAB PM ketika perjumpaan beliau dengan ahli-ahli PBTM pada 10 Oktober 2010 di Stadium Bukit Jalil? Kalau tak silap saya, 2 perkara telah diumumkan, iaitu pembayaran Khairat Kematian dinaikkan kepada RM3K dan pembayaran ex gratia. Berapakah kadar bayaran ex gratia tersebut? Adakah bayaran ini termasuk mereka yang tercedera sebelum Oktober 1994? 

Saya bertanyakan soalan ini selepas menerima e-mel berikut daripada Lt Kol Idris Hassan (B). Ini adalah surat beliau kepada NST pada 13 Jul 2010.  

Ex-servicemen: Pay ex gratia to veterans of Emergency

NST

2010/07/13

THE Skim Bayaran Pampasan Bencana Kerja ex-gratia payment was introduced by the Treasury on Oct 20, 1994, to pay compensation to all civilian government employees injured or maimed as a result of action by undesirable elements (akibat anasir-anasir jahat) when on official duty.

The Treasury later reviewed and approved payment of ex-gratia to all soldiers, including veterans who had been killed or disabled in the line of duty. This was subject to verification of the records of the serviceman or veteran.

However, the irony and unfairness of this scheme is that it only covers servicemen killed and maimed in the line of duty on or after Oct 20, 1994.

This is in fact long after the last of the hostilities had effectively ceased on Dec 2, 1989 with the signing of the peace treaty by the government with the Communist Party of Malaya. 

Why should those injured during peace time service, and who had not fired a shot in combat, be given priority over hundreds of servicemen who died or were maimed? Some of them were blown up by booby traps during the Emergency but have been left out. What was the basis for this cut-off date?

Most of these old veterans consist of "other ranks" and "junior officers" who, by the nature of their job, fought at the frontlines. Most are now in the twilight of their lives while others have passed on.

I urge the authorities, in line with the "People First" concept, to urgently consider all veterans who have suffered disabilities in the line of duty for this ex-gratia payment.

There was a proposal by the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department for the disabled ex-servicemen's allowance of RM100 to RM200 to be increased to RM500. The proposal has not yielded any result.

The call for youths of all races to join the armed forces would be better served when issues affecting the lives of soldiers, especially those injured in the line of duty, are promptly addressed.

LT-COL (R) MOHD IDRIS HASSAN

Kuala Lumpur

Di era saya, kalau tak silap, ex gratia payment yang saya ketahui ialah bayaran 36 bulan gaji kepada mereka yang terkorban dalam nahas pesawat terbang. Tak tahulah saya sama ada dasar ini masih berkuatkuasa atau sudah dimansuhkan.

Bercakap pasal pahlawan-pahlawan negara, saya ada bertanya member golf saya seorang xpegawai polis, mengapa wira-wira Bk Kepong tidak dianugerahkan Darjah Perkasa? Pada saya, negara mesti menghargai pengorbanan mereka dan OIC Stesyen Polis dianugerah SP. Tak tahulah saya kalau mereka sudah dianugerah dengan pingat-pingat berkenaan. Kalau ya, Syukur Alhamdulillah. Kalau tidak....Mengapa tidak?

Oh ya, secara kebetulan ada satu coretan yang ada kaitan dengan topik ini di sini.

Lt Kol Idris Hassan...Thank you.

Nota: Tak tahulah saya mengapa perenggan pertama dan ke2 di atas dalam huruf besar pada hal saya menaip dengan huruf kecil. Cuba sana cuba sini masih tidak berhasil. Kan ni pun nak minta tolong saudara Katon Tin-Ton kut untuk mengatasinya.