KLUANG: The Ministry of Defence will ensure that the welfare of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel is given priority in line with the provisions in the 2022 Budget, said Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (pix) .
He said the allocation to be received next year would be fully utilised, including providing more comfortable housing for personnel and veterans as well as upgrading the infrastructure in schools at the MAF camps.
âThat is our priority because our personnel are the frontliners. So, to ensure their morale is high, (their welfare) must be given priority,” he told a press conference after launching the ministryâs Jiwa Murni project at Kampung Sri Tambak here today.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz when tabling the budget yesterday said Ministry of Defence had been allocated RM16 billion.
He said a total of RM1.6 billion was allocated to enhance the preparedness of main assets of the Malaysian Armed Forces and RM14 million to replace the main equipment of the PASKAL (Naval Special Forces) and PASKAU (Air Force Special Air Service) including parachutes, underwater breathing gears and boats.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin said the MAF Field Hospital operations at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) in Johor Bahru would continue, considering its proximity to Malaysia-Singapore border.
âFor Johor, I ask them to continue while in Penang, it depends on their own decision by looking at the current situation,â he said, adding that so far only three MAF Field Hospitals are still operating, namely at HSA, Kepala Batas Hospital Intensive Care Unit and Penang Hospital.
On the transition from the pandemic to endemic phase, he said the decision would be made after assessing the current impact of the reopening of various economic sectors.
âThe decision for the transition will be made after making an assessment on the relaxation given including interstate and cross-border travels as well as the reopening of schools and institutions of higher learning.
âSo at the moment, the National Recovery Plan phases are running as usual and we are currently focusing on booster shots,â he said.
On the Jiwa Murni Project (PJM), Hishammuddin said it would be expanded in the near future in line with the aspirations of the Malaysian Family concept introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said although the Ministry of Defence and the MAF were more focused on the security and defence aspects of the country, but they also had a responsibility to the community like any other ministries.
âPJM aims at helping to ease the burden of the asnaf and the less fortunate. This year, a total of 107 projects have been implemented nationwide at a cost of RM1.68 million involving new construction work, repairs and maintenance of peopleâs homes and community buildings,â he said.- Bernama
