KUALA LUMPUR: About 500,000 Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans will be issued multifunctional Veteran Digital Cards as part of a digital transformation to replace physical cards, thus facilitating access to services for all veterans.

MAF Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV) director-general Major General Zambery Jefry Darus said the JHEV would provide the digital cards, which will be displayed in the Veteran Integrated Benefit System (VIBES) 2.0 mobile application for all MAF veterans, including their spouses and widows.

“The veterans and their eligible spouses and widows can use the card for hospital and bank purposes without the need to show a physical ID like they used to previously.

“Their data is stored in the digital card and is very secure, no need to show a physical identity card anymore,” he told a media conference regarding the “Meraikan Bintang 2024” Charity Dinner at Wisma ATM here today.

He said the development of the Digital Veteran Card, which uses the highest encryption technology, the 4096-bit TrustPattern Code, would enhance the security of the card to verify the MAF veteran’s status.

Zambery also said that the use of e-KYC (electronic know your customer) technology will facilitate the digital registration of veterans for hospital and dialysis centre admission.

He added that the technology also comprised functions for cashless payments, price discounts and cash rebates.

He said the initiative is still under development and testing and is expected to be introduced to MAF veterans at the launch of the Warriors’ Fund Campaign (KTP) Charity Dinner on Sept 24.

Regarding the Warriors’ Fund Campaign Charity Dinner 2024 themed “Meraikan Bintang Metamorfosis Hadapan”, Zambery said it is an effort by JHEV to collect RM2 million for the 2024 Warriors’ Fund to support the welfare of about 500,000 MAF veterans.

He added that the collection would focus on non-pensionable and infirm MAF veterans, covering welfare needs like disposable diapers and milk for the elderly.

“A tin of milk costs RM200, so two tins a month cost RM400. That’s just for milk, not including diapers, with five to six pieces used per day. These are not covered in the scheme, so we have to work hard to run whatever warriors’ fund campaign, including fishing competitions in Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula and many other activities,” he said.

Zambery said that during the charity dinner, three categories of table seatings will be sold, namely the Perkasa 10-seater table priced at RM50,000, the Perwira 20-seater table priced at RM20,000 and the Pahlawan 20-seater table priced at RM10,000.