Unrecognised Hero

Readers...In December 2009, Lt Col Idris Mohd Idris Hassan (R) sent me this document entitled " A cause worth fighting for...". It was about the plight of an ex-Army captain who was deprived of his pension. Capt Mukhtiar Singh s/o Sodagar Singh was a Short Service Commission officer (SSC) who left the Military Police Corp  on 21 July 1978 at the age of 46 after being given a one-year extension of service. Inclusive of his service as Permanent Staff Instructor (PSI) in the Territorial Army (TA), he had served 16 years 11 months and 10 days. His application to become a 'Regular' officer was turned down on the ground that he did not attend the mandatory 'career courses'.

Prior to serving in the MAF, he was with the police force as a 'Temporary Inspector (TI)' for a period of 12 years. However, his tour with the police force was not recognised for pension purposes when he had to leave the Army. It was Lt Col Idris (R) who highlighted his plight in the mass media and later on picked up by bloggers. For days, this issue became 'hot' news in the 'Malay Mail'.

After a lot of hullaballoos, MINDEF officially responded that Capt Mokhtiar did not meet the requirements as stipulated in the 'Regulation 50 of the Regular Forces (Retired Pay, Pension, Gratuities and Other Grants) (Amendment) Regulation 1975'. He was only eligible for a terminal gratuity of RM8,332.50. Later, PDRM compensated him RM36,855 for his 12 years of service.

As a TI, he was a hero of sorts. He killed 5 communist terrorists in Kuala Kubu Baru during those Emergency days. But what a pity, his heroic deeds for the nation were deemed insignificant compared to those who glorify her as in the case of sports. Rules and Regulations are waived off and funds are made readily available out of thin air. We are not talking of RM3K monthly (Olympic 'silver' medallist), but a mere RM412.50 (assuming 50% of his last basic drawn pay RM825)!! It's really ironical...a special category of government servants whose services  were officially 'terminated', yet through the interference of 'platinum' cable, they were not only given full retirement benefits  but also  mind-blowing  ex-gratia compensations...the highest being RMx,ooo,ooo!!

Fortunately, he has friends who are ready to fight for him. With his kind permission, the latest update on this story is in Lt Col Idris's unedited e-mail below...

From: Idris Hassan ltcolidris@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, April 21, 2010 12:48:21 PM
Subject: Captain Mukthiar

( A cause worth fighting for........A story of a Malaysian hero - Police Inspector Captain Mukthiar Singh s/o Sodagar Singh)

Last week on the 17th April 2010 I was invited to receive the award of Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) together with fifty other recipients at the Royal Malay Regiment Club House.In-spite of my very bad back I hobbled on and went , not wanting to miss this auspicious occasion and a chance to meet my former commanders and old friends . There I was fortunate to meet Major Jen Dato' Zulkiflee Mazlan the present Director of the Armed Forces Veterans Association. I spoke to him of the 120 page binder ( A cause worth fighting for........A story of a Malaysian hero - Police Inspector Captain Mukthiar Singh s/o Sodagar Singh that was handed to him last year by Mukthiar with the request that he be considered for the gallantry award Panglima Gajah Berani. PGB. This award carries with it a monthly payment of RM. 1,500/ for life.

He thanked me for having taken the trouble to to compile this very comprehensive account of Mukthiar's service and his heroic exploits plus the additional information that I forwarded to him, adding that he has done the needful and the army is very favorably considering him for the award of PGB. I was assured that by next King's birthday hopefully there will be some good news. ( I served under the late Brig Gen Mazlan bin Yunus who was then my Brigade Commander 4 Bde in Temerloh in 1968. Zilkiflee his son was then a little boy )

I believe this will be some kind of record where a living soldier whose exploits as a jungle fighter some 50 years ago will finally be rewarded and rightly so .Mukhtiar had earlier been granted a gratuity payment of RM. 36.,855/which was also the result of his case being put forward by my team and me.
 I have always believed that if you fight for some thing long enough and hard enough some thing is sure to give. It often pains me to think, how many of our servicemen with similar predicaments are in a limbo with no one to fight for them ?

Thankfully of late I have great colleague's like blogger ex Royal Ranger's Major Swami of Seventh Rangers (Mechanized) ex Royal Malay, Brig Gen ArshadRaji of CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION and ex Royal Malaysian Air force Major Nor Ibrahim bin sulaiman of Jottings of an xnuripilot who have given ex servicemen a strong and fearless voice when ever the need arises .They are amomgst those who speak out when others don't even have the courage to listen.

Regards

idris

I wonder what is the latest development on Pte Abdul Rani Wok of Pahang!!

Tragedi 26 April 1976...Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah

BERITA TERKINI...

Thu, April 22, 2010 2:02:59 PM
Progarm Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah
From: sulasteri sulasteri@arkib.gov.my
To: nor ibrahim sulaiman nibsny@yahoo.com

Assalamualaikum Mejar,

Selamat berjumpa lagi. Saya ingin memaklumkan bahawa peristiwa Gubir tersebut akan disiarkan pada 26 /4/2010. Ini berdasarkan beberapa penemuan baru yang kami dapati.

TK.

Sulasteri Abd. Hamid
Arkib Negara

TV & Radio, RTM (di TV selepas berita pukul 9.00 mlm dan berita akhir, sementara di Radio – Klasik Nasional, setiap kali selepas berita jam 7.00 pg, 11.00 pg. 5.00 ptg, 9.00 mlm & 11 mlm.

Masuk Telinga Kanan...Keluar Telinga Kiri

Saya telah meluahkan kekecewaan terhadap agensi-agensi Kerajaan tertentu dengan menghantar e-mel berikut...Sudah tentu KSN menjadi mangsa kerana beliau adalah 'BOS' kepada semua Penjawat Awam!!

Penjawat Awam: Laksanakan Tugas Dengan Amanah
Mon, April 12, 2010 1:52:39PM
From: nor ibrahim sulaiman nibsny@yahoo.com
To: (YB & Agensi-Agensi yang pernah saya berurusan)
Cc: (KP-KP terbabit)

Assalamualaikum,

UP: YBhg Tan Sri KSN

Saya meminta maaf kerana kerap menghantar e-mel kepada Tan Sri yang, secara tersiratnya, meluahkan kekecewaan saya kerana e-mel yang saya hantar kepada Penjawat Awam tertentu tidak mendapat sebarang respons. Apabila membaca laporan akhbar berikut, kekecewaan saya terubat sedikit...

Mengapa? Tidak terlintas di pemikiran saya, En Yahaya Basimin, Setiausaha Persekutuan Sarawak, secara terbuka terpaksa menegur sikap Ketua-Ketua Jabatan yang tidak memberi sebarang respons kepada e-mel beliau. Yang paling melucukan ialah, quote '...The least they could do was to acknowledge that they had received my email' unquote. Mungkin maksud beliau sekurang-kurangnya respons standard ini...' Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa perkara ini sedang dalam kajian dan pertimbangan Kerajaan.'... Secara jujur, respons sebegini tidak memberi sebarang makna kepada kami rakyat jelata. Jawapan yang diharapkan ialah'...akan diberitahu pada ......' atau '...tidak dapat dipertimbangkan'...TAMAT.

En Yahaya Basimin...Ketua-Ketua Jabatan anda hanya mempraktikkan 'Silence Is Golden'. Masalahnya...tak kena tempat!

Inikan pula e-mel dari seorang mejar pencen yang tak ternama...membuang masa saja untuk melayan beliau (bolayan)! Tetapi bukan semua agensi Kerajaan yang bersikap demikian. Saya berterima kasih pada PNM, FNM dan ANM ...sungguh 'mesra pelanggan' dan membanggakan. Sekiranya semua jabatan ikhlas melaksanakan tugas dengan penuh amanah, Tan Sri tidaklah menerima e-mel ini.

Sungguh sedih mereka memperlekehkan pandangan Tan Sri...

Tapi apalah sangat teguran KSN...Malah arahan kabinet sekali pun tidak diendahkan...!

Sehingga TPM terpaksa mengulangi teguran ...!

Penjawat Awam...Anda semua sepatutnya bersyukur kepada Allah Yang Maha Kuasa kerana walau apa pun persepsi rakyat terhadap prestasi anda, seperti saya ini, ianya tidak akan menjejaskan kerjaya anda. Tidak seperti 'Wakil' kami, KPI mereka ditentukan oleh kami setiap 4/5 tahun sekali!!

Kesihan YAB PM yang bertungkus lumus untuk menjayakan gagasan 1MALAYSIA...RAKYAT DIDAHULUKAN...PENCAPAIAN DIUTAMAKAN. Sekiranya beginilah sikap segolongan Penjawat Awam yang bertanggungjawab untuk melaksanakan dasar tersebut ...Wallahu'alam!!

Sekian untuk renungan sepintas lalu...

"KRITIKAN MEMBINA...PUJIAN MEMBINASA...AMANAH DIBERKATI'NYA'"

MEJAR NOR IBRAHIM BIN SULAIMAN TUDM (B)
http://xnuripilot.blogspot.com

PS: Sekiranya mana-mana pengalamat 'TERbaca' e-mel ini, harap maaf kerana tidak mematuhi tatacara menulis surat. Isi kandungan lebih penting daripada 'salutation'.

Pembaca...Sekiranya e-mel anda ke agensi Kerajaan terjawab...itu adalah BONUS. Jika tidak...BIASALAH!!

First Hand View

I was at the scene....Looks like you can find me at all places of action....!

New Sunday Times April 11, 2010

On 20 February 1980, on my promotion to major, I was posted from No 3 Sqn, RMAF Butterworth, back to my first squadron, No 10 Sqn, RMAF Kuantan as the Flight Commander. However, I still managed to 'squeeze' myself for operational flying duties at No 3 Sqn. My grand finale flight there was on 25 February 1980...

• Tasking ~ OD 493...Troop lifts: BW-Kroh-LPs-BW
• Callsign ~ W493Juliet 'One" 
• Crew ~ Self/Lt  (U) Joachim/Sgt Ahmad
• Airframe ~ FM1735
• Flt Time ~ 6 hrs

I reported to No 10 Sqn only in May upon completion of a 3-month pioneer 'Squadron Officers School (SOS)' course at Institut Teknologi Udara, RMAF Kinrara. I was back to operational flying on 27 May 1980 after a refresher course.

Well...It was on 16 October 1980 when I was tasked to pick up Inspector General Of Police (IGP),  Tun Hanif Omar, from RMAF Kuala Lumpur to Batu Pahat. Tasking details were...

• Tasking ~ OD373...Comm Flt (IGP): Ktn-Sempang-B.Pahat-Ktn
• Callsign ~ Gading 373 Juliet 
• Crew ~ Self/Lt (U) Sudirman/Sgt Hood
• Airframe ~ FM1740
• Flight Time ~ 3 hrs 15 min

Note: Actually, the tasking was to ferry IGP back to Sempang but IGP decided that he would find his own way back. Those days PDRM did not have their Air Wing yet.

I did not know the reason for this urgent flight until I shut down the Nuri at Batu Pahat. The aircrew were fortunate enough to be in IGP's entourage. We were taken to the Police Station where I saw 6 dead bodies clad in white robes in the station's complex. What happened was that at about 0940 hr, a sword-wielding group of 'extremists', led by a self-proclaimed 'Imam Mahadi', attacked Batu Pahat police station. The leader, Ahmad Nasir Ismail,  was a Cambodian refugee. Fortunately, none of the policemen were killed but more than 20 policemen and civilians were injured. If you want to know more, please read the article "I REMEMBER WHEN".

I did not know what happened after that. After lunch, we took off for Kuantan. I had to fly 'IFR' (I Follow Road) since  visibility was poor. We landed safely at Kuantan in time for briefing before night flying sortie that night.

Elaun...Berita Terkini

Sekali lagi saya mengucapkan TERIMA KASIH kepada Dato' Arshad yang terus memberi sokongan sepenuhnya terhadap 'jihad' saya ini. Setelah membaca artikel beliau, saya telah menghantar e-mel berikut... 

Elaun Untuk JPP, PTU & KPK
Mon, April 19, 2010 2:43:30 PM
From: nor ibrahim sulaiman nibsny@yahoo.com
To: Dato' Zahid Hamidi ; KSU Indef ; PAT ; PTU ; Hamzah Hussin MoD ; sidek ksn ; Dato Latt Shariman ... more
Cc: Zureen bin Zubir

Assalamualaikum,

Ini petikan dari blog http://mindnoevil.blogspot.com bertajuk "PINGAT JASA MALAYSIA MEDAL PRESENTATION" sempena penyampaian PJM di kelab RAMD, Kuala Lumpur pada 17 April 2010 oleh YB Menteri Pertahanan....

'...During a speech by the Defence Minister, I was pleasantly surprised when he said that he is reviewing the granting of some form of monetary payment to recipients of gallantry awards other than recipients of the SP and PGB. I believe the minister was referring to recipients of the JPP, PTU and KPK, and if this is so, blogger Mej Nor Ibrahim RMAF (B) persistence has finally paid off. I personally wish to thank the Defence Minister for having being considerate and passionate to the appeals of Mej Nor Ibrahim, and when the official announcement is made, I know it will be a feather in the cap for the Defence Minister.'

YB...Apa yang termampu saya ucapkan hanyalah...TERIMA KASIH! Sekiranya dimakbulkan Allah, elaun tersebut sudah pasti dapat meringankan bebanan kewangan yang dihadapi oleh penerima-penerima, terutama golongan LLP. Dato' sendiri sudah pasti sedia maklum, kebanyakan kami sudah hampir 'tarikh luput'.

Saya tiada statistik jumlah kesemua penerima, tetapi pada anggaran saya tidak melebihi 500 orang, termasuk anggota PDRM.

Akhir kata, jika Kerajaan meluluskan permohonan ini, ianya '...a feather in the cap for the Defence Minister.'(ulangan petikan di atas).

MEJAR NOR IBRAHIM BIN SULAIMAN TUDM (B)

Menurut 'Aruzab' yang turut menerima PJM di majlis berkenaan, ketika pergi menerima pingat tersebut, beliau telah menyarankan agar Pak Menteri mempertimbangkan cadangan pemberian elaun kepada penerima JPP, PTU & KPK. Ini petikan e-mel Aruzab kepada saya (tanpa edit) '...His (Menteri) exact words were "Yes we are looking at it".

Anda boleh membaca teks artikel Dato' Arshad di sini.

Wira-Wira TUDM - Ops Selamat Sawadee

1979...No 3 Skuaderon, TUDM Butterworth, yang paling banyak dianugerah pingat sempena Hari Keputaraan DYMM Yang DiPertuan Agong pada 5 Jun 1979 - PTU (2), KPK (3), AMN (2) dan PPN (4).

Warga No 3 Skuaderon yang menerima penganugerahan tersebut...

Duduk-Kiri ke kanan: Kapt (U) James Chong AMN, Kapt (U) Nor Ibrahim PTU, Mej (U) KL Chong PTU, mendiang Kapt (U) Thiagarah AMN, Lt (U) Zainal Piee KPK

Berdiri-Kiri ke kanan: Arwah Flt Sjn Hamzah Souza PPN, Flt Sjn Patrick Lee PPN, Lt (U) Johan KPK, WO Isa PPN, Sjn Mohsein KPK, Sjn Charles PPN

Catatan: Sumber dari 'Scrap Book' No 3 Skuaderon.

Surat tawaran PTU dari Jabatan Perdana Menteri...

Surat dari Panglima Tentera Udara, arwah Mej Jen (U) Datuk Mohamed Bin Taib...

Xxx Xxxxxxx...Terima kasih diatas kesedian anda menghantar keratan akhbar dan gambar di atas.

'For Every Action, There Is A Reaction'.

'...Dear Dato',

Thank you for your continuous support. I'm speechless after reading your posting. I sincerely hope those in authority in MINDEF would read and take affirmative actions.

Once again...Thank you.'

Readers...That was my response after reading an article by Dato' Arshad entitled "AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHIEF  OF DEFENCE FORCES AND TO ALL THREE SERVICE CHIEFS". To read the article, click here.

Well...Isaac Newton was right when he said 'For every action, there is a reaction'. Not everybody agrees with what I have been struggling for almost a year now. Below is an extract of comments made by 'Wira' on Dato's article...

'...Mej Nor, to be honest about it, this issue leaves a bad taste in most people's mouth, mine included. No point discussing it in public lest such senitized areas as eligibility and credibility rear their ugly heads. To my mind, udah le! let sleeping dogs lay. Deme nak bagi, deme akan bagi nanti. Sabor age le, Tapi mungkin kena tunggu 4-5 tahun.'

Well...He's entitled to his opinion, so do I. Frankly, I'm the least bothered by his comments. It is sad indeed that Wira fails to take into consideration of the plight of hundreds of the recipients, particularly the ORs,  (I think less than 500 recipients, including members of PDRM) to sustain living in the ever increasing cost of living. Bear in mind, most of these heroes are in their twilight years with meagre pensions...if any at all!! In fact, this issue was brought up during the recent PBTM Kubang Pasu Branch's meeting (I did not attend)...

'...Satu usul yang diutarakan oleh peserta dan diterima untuk dimajukan ke pihak atasan ialah berkenaan pembayaran elaun untuk penerima pingat Kepujian Perutusan Keberanian (KPK). Ketua Cawangan menjelaskankan ianya akan dibawa sebagai usul untuk diperbincangkan di peringkat atasan.' For details, click here. 

Dato' Arshad's response to Wira say it all. Care to read additional comments not found in Dato's blog? Then, please read a posting entitled "Wira Who?" here.