JITRA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will announce a special holistic scheme to assist the 170,000 non-pensionable army veterans nationwide this July, which aimed to address issues concerning their cost of living, medical and housing.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Prime Minister will announce details on the scheme during a Veterans’ Mammoth Gathering at National Stadium Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the national Warriors Day 2017 on July 31.
Hishammuddin said the scheme was formulated based on recommendations from a six-week lab involving various stakeholders which ended yesterday.
"It is not easy to come up with the scheme as it involved various complicated issues which were raised for decades.
"It is even more challenging because we are trying to resolve these issues at the back of government's budget constraints and uncertain global economy but we are glad that we have finally come up with the scheme," he told a press conference after attending a Ihya Ramadan programme with the Malaysia Armed Forces (ATM) and ATM Veterans at Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Camp here today.
The event was organised by Menteri Besar Kedah Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.
Present were his deputy Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharum, ATM chief Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor, Veterans Affairs Department director-general Maj-Gen Datuk Mohamad Khir Abdullah.
At the event, Hishammuddin also presented the Insurgency Special Incentive Payout to 30 veterans from Kedah.
A total of 2,939 army veterans nationwide will be receiving a one-off payout involving an allocation of RM55 million, announced by Najib while tabling the 2017 Budget last October.
On a related matter, Hishammuddin said the ministry would announce a blueprint to resolve housing issues concerning army personnel nationwide this September.
He said the ministry has initiated a special lab to deliberate on suggestions to resolve the quarters issue by 2035.
He added that the ministry was also collaborating with state governments to provide land to build affordable housing for soldiers who are still in service.