KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The government has allocated RM79.68 million to be distributed as one-off contribution to 159,368 pensionable and non-pensionable Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) veterans under the National Hope Aid (NHA) (Bantuan Harapan Negara) (BHN) initiative.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the application for BHN was opened on April 14 and the first payment was made on May 27 to 95,110 veterans by the ATM’s Veterans Affairs Department.
He said the implementation of the initiative targeted the veterans in the lower-income group (B40), with recipients to receive one-off RM500 cash each.
“This contribution is a government’s appreciation for their loyalty and sacrifice to the country as well as to safeguard the well-being of the military veterans,” he said in the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a question from Tan Sri Annuar Musa (BN-Ketereh) on the steps implemented to improve the welfare of the non-pensionable military veterans.
Mohamad said the government approved the BHN 2019 initiative to replace the 2017 Bantuan Bakti Negara (BBN) and the 2013 Sumbangan Veteran Tidak Berpencen 1Malaysia (SVTB1M).
In the meantime, he said the government would continue to improve welfare scheme for military veterans but it would be carried out according to the government’s financial ability.
It would include the provision of allocation to ATM personnel who were the recipients of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM).
“The ministry has submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Finance to consider the allocation for those who have sacrificed for the country to be appreciated,” he said this in his reply to a supplementary question from M. Karupaiya (PH-Padang Serai) on remuneration for PJM recipients.
Meanwhile, Mohamad also urged big corporations benefited from the peace enjoyed by the country, to contribute to the MAF’s fund in appreciation of the sacrifices of military personnel. — Bernama
