Kota Kinabalu: The proposal by Persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) to form Parti Kemakmuran Negara (PKN) is not related with Persatuan Veteran Angkatan Tentera Tidak Berpencen Malaysia (PVATTBM).
PVATTBM Vice President II, Datuk Zaman Haji Bayang (pic), said the intention and decision made by ATM is solely its own stand.
“I would like to inform PVATTBM members that the proposal by ATM to form a party (PKN) and to contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) is its own affair and has nothing to do with PVATTBM including in Sabah.
“PVATTBM has never agreed to any effort by any party to involve the veteran servicemen association in the political arena,” he said in a Monday statement in response to ATM President Sharuddin Omar’s statement that ATM is presently making an effort to form PKN to contest in GE15.
Sharuddin had said that the PKN is planning to contest 50 parliamentary and state seats if it is approved by the Registrar of Society (ROS), without disclosing which constituencies it intends to contest.
Sharuddin said ATM wants to contest in the GE15 because of the delay by the Government to resolve issues related to the veterans especially on their salary and pension as well as other issues involving the people.
Zaman, who is also the PVATTBM Sabah President, said the PVATTBM stand is to support the ruling Government, including the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) State Government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor and his Cabinet.
“It is clearly stated in the PVATTBM constitution that our struggle is for non-pensionable veteran servicemen throughout the country and not for the purpose of politics.
“Let PVATTBM remain as the largest non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Malaysia. We will defend the good name of our association so that it will not be smeared by political elements.
“About other associations and members who want to get involved in politics, it is up to them. We respect their decision,” Zaman said.
