Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli has challenged Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to a debate on matters concerning the latter's portfolio.

Speaking at his first dialogue with army veterans last night, Rafizi said the minister must be held accountable for all the troubles the personnel face.

“Let him set everything. Let him define everything. If he wants to set the scope just on veteran’s welfare and so on, let him be.

“I just want him to be accountable for everything that happens. At the very least, he has to respond to failures in coordinating working papers,” said Rafizi, who is also PKR secretary-general.

He said this problem alone has caused delays, for up to two years, for non-pensionable veterans retiring from the military and trying to withdraw their retirement fund from Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT).

This is unacceptable in an era where computers are commonplace, Rafizi said.

Meanwhile, morale among Armed Forces personnel is low, with clear signs of disquiet, he said, and there is little news on the progress of the relocation and upgrading of air bases as part of 1MDB’s Bandar Malaysia project.

At the same time, the geopolitical situation in Southeast Asia is becoming more volatile, with China asserting its influence in the South China Sea.

“The days when everything could be swept under the carpet on the basis that it is for national security is over,” Rafizi told reporters after the dialogue in Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur, last night.

“So at the very least, he has to respond. I don’t think he will respond unless you throw a challenge, because if he doesn’t respond, he is a coward.

“And it is really embarrassing to have a defence minister who is seen as a coward,” he said.

'Army veterans are oppressed'

The 'Hargai Perajurit' series of dialogues is part of Rafizi’s move to prioritise veterans' welfare, as he faces a possible jail sentence for supposedly breaching the Official Secrets Act 1972 by leaking classified documents on LTAT.

He claimed that LTAT’s dealings with 1MDB had contributed to delays in payments to non-pensionable veterans.

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 1 ordered Rafizi to enter his defence.

Meanwhile, Rafizi will be holding more dialogues with veterans in Lumut, Butterworth, Kuantan, Telok Kemang, and other places where military bases are located. The dates for the dialogue sessions are yet to be decided.

Last night’s event in Setiawangsa drew an audience of about 150 people, who stayed until the event was over at midnight.

At the dialogue, Rafizi said military veterans are among the worst oppressed people in Malaysia, and that they are not even aware of it.

“We pluck them young out of the villages, then tell them to go to war or get on a ship. One keeps his savings (in LTAT) from 18 years old until he retires 15 years later, and that’s all he has.

“Good thing he hasn’t died yet, but suddenly when it is his turn to collect his money, we don’t give it to him. All we give are excuses.

“So I was moved to action because, for me, this is very cruel. If you ask me, it is even more cruel than collecting the GST,” Rafizi said.

RM16 a day for risking your life

Meanwhile, fellow panellist Mohd Imran Abdul Hamid (photo) suggested that the LTAT and the relevant departments should get their paperwork and examinations in order six months before an enlisted personnel is retired.

This is to ensure that his LTAT contributions are available for collection when his retirement date arrives.

Imran, who is the Lumut MP and a retired navy admiral, added that military personnel serving on military outposts on islands and reefs should have their allowances increased from RM16 a day to at least RM100 a day, due to the harsh conditions they face.

The facilities on these island outposts should also be improved, he said.

“These are in the middle of the ocean. If a storm hits, nobody knows. They’d just die," he said.

"The allowance now is RM16 a day – RM16 a day for a life that is too risky. They may be hit by storms or struck by enemies.

“Therefore I demand that the government pay at least RM100 a day for their allowance.

"After being posted there for a month, at least they would have some money. If it’s RM3,000, then they can clear their debts with loan sharks a little,” Imran said.