An association representing ex-servicemen has denied that the butt exercise by its members in front of electoral reform group Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga's house earlier this month was a bid for federal government funding.

"Certainly not. If the government supports me, I won't live in a two-storey terrace house like this. I'll live in a bungalow and I'll have a chauffeured Mercedes Benz.

NONE"If I am ordered by others or paid to do it, I will be living in a house worth millions," said Malay Army Veterans Association (PVTM) president Mohd Ali Baharom in an interview at his Puchong home earlier this week.

The former army private, who once boxed for his Malay Regiment division, was responding to allegations by rival PAS-linked Army Veterans and Retirees Welfare Club (Kerabat) president Lt-Kol (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar.

In criticising PVTM's antics, the Kerabat president told Malaysiakini that some veterans' associations were just in it for the money, hinting that the bizarre exercise of his rival may be to secure Defence Ministry allocations channelled through the Veterans Affairs Department.

"There are some who became cronies of BN leaders," Nazari said, without naming anybody.

Mohd Ali, who served with the 21st battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD), hit back at Kerabat and told Nazari to "take care of his own house".

He said: "Kerabat is on the other side, we are on this side. We should respect each other. He advised me that my butt exercise brought on a bizarre reaction and I thank him. But that is my right, he must respect it.

"Don't let it be until I go and parade, naked, at his house."

Even four-star generals listen to him

Mohd Ali said while he was only a private, former lieutenant-colonels and even four-star generals listened to him in PVTM because he was sincere in doing his work and was always thankful to the government.

NONE"He only knows how to speak and criticise," the former boxer said of Nazari (left), adding that as far as he knew, neither the retired lieutenant-colonel nor Kerabat had ever been on the ground fighting for the welfare of military veterans in Selangor.

Taking another swing at Kerabat, Mohd Ali pounded the association for its October 2011 memorandum that he said asked the Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states to provide 20 acres of land to veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces.

"Why should the (opposition-controlled) state governments of Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Kelantan give land to veterans? If they do so, I shall resign my posts.

"I will join Kerabat, if they gave me the land. I shall join... I will follow what they say. But they have to give my people 20 acres each."

He also challenged Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to listen to Kerabat and give the 20 acres to armed forces veterans.

"Even the rubbish issue he cannot handle, how to give land?" he jabbed sarcastically.

The issue of uncollected rubbish is common BN fodder in Pakatan's rule in Selangor, while Khalid's administration has claimed this to be acts of sabotage by BN-linked garbage collection contractors.

List of grievances

NONEAsked about reports that he is a close associate of Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left), Mohd Ali downplayed the alleged connection.

"We have met. I have spoken to him," he said, and went on to praise the defence minister as "a credible and responsible minister with potential to lead the country one day, highly knowledgeable in defence and politics and possessing a radiant demeanour."

Despite his denial that he sought funding from the Defence Ministry, Mohd Ali provided a list of "grievances of a veteran" that he wants the minister to attend to:

  • Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) holders to be given a honorarium of at least RM300 a month;
  • The minister to intercede with Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail, Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) and national housing company SPNB to provide affordable housing for veterans;
  • Job placement programmes in government-linked companies for retiring military men; and
  • The Defence Ministry must speed up the announced payments of monetary tokens in appreciation of the services of former armed forces personnel.

Thanking Zahid for all the help and attention already given to veterans, he said that if the minister were to deliver on all these demands, he would lead the 40,000 former servicemen in PVTM and their families to pledge their all-time allegiance to the government.

Taking a stab again at the other critics, Mohd Ali defended PVTM for butting heads with Bersih.

"We, too, have a right to speak and have the right to defend the country. Not only politicians have this right. Politicians are not the only ones who defend the nation, we are the real defenders of the nation."

He said military veterans were voters as well and they had the right to vote for or against anybody and were free to express and give their support to those who they felt supported them.

Asked if he has political ambition, Mohd Ali said he was not suited for such a role.

"I never once thought to be a wakil rakyat (an elected representative) because I look at my own self, ukur baju di badan sendiri (measured my capabilities... I do not have the requisites). But as a veteran, I am always willing to help Selangor and the country."

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