NEWS LETTER

The Pride of Northern Ireland

Letters to the Editor
Minister Silent Over Medal
Wednesday 30th November 2005
I would like to draw the Prime Minister and Minister for Defence's attention to recent media coverage: "Jungle wars veterans denied right to wear medal on Remembrance Day". Can Tony Blair and John Reid please explain why Minister for Veterans Affairs Don Touhig MP has not become involved with British veterans, like his Commonwealth counterparts, T De-Anne Kelly BE MP and Helen Clark MP, have in helping their Malaya-Borneo veterans receive their just award, the PJM medal?
What is the point of appointing a British Minister for Veterans Affairs who cannot speak up on behalf of veterans' affairs when such an important matter like this PJM medal arises?

Instead, the decision is left to the HD Committee who will be meeting on December 7 to discuss the matter, yet who are not responsible to Parliament or the electorate to decide veterans' fate regards whether HMG accepts or rejects the PJM medal.

Why is it when a foreign award is being offered by another Commonwealth country, like Malaysia, for services rendered to their country some 40 years ago are British civilian veterans still treated like armed forces personnel by the HD Committee when most veterans have been out of uniform for some 30 to 40 years?

Finally, why do none of our 600-plus elected members of Parliament, least of all our Minister for Veterans Affairs, have any say in this PJM medal matter?

George Fleming,

Malaya-Borneo Veteran, Lisburn Road, Belfast.