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RETIRED personnel from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the public service have urged the government to resolve the prolonged delay in implementing long-overdue pension adjustments, citing legal provisions and court rulings in their favour.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition of ATM Veterans and Civil Service Pensioners, Rafique Ali Ahmad Nordin said that hundreds of retirees were still awaiting adjustments they were legally entitled to, despite years of dedicated service across multiple sectors, including defence, education, health, public administration, and security.
“Although we have made sacrifices and served the nation in various capacities, we have yet to receive the pension adjustments due to us,” he said during a peaceful gathering at Dataran Merdeka earlier today.
“What is most disheartening is learning that former judges have received their adjusted pensions along with full back payments, while thousands of other retirees remain in limbo.”
Rafique criticised what he described as unequal treatment among pensioner groups, despite all having contributed to the development and functioning of the country.
“This clearly demonstrates an inequity in the execution of the pension adjustment policy. We are not disputing the rights of former judges, but we are demanding the same justice. If one group of retirees has been fully compensated, all retirees should receive the same.”
He stressed that the adjustments must be made immediately and not be delayed pending further court decisions.
“We demand prompt payment of the pension adjustments for all ATM veterans and public sector retirees, without waiting for court verdicts,” he said.
Rafique also called on the relevant authorities to initiate discussions with representatives from the veteran and retiree communities to outline a transparent and timely roadmap for disbursing the outstanding pension arrears.
“We also seek a formal assurance from the government that future adjustments will be carried out fairly and transparently,” he added.
He emphasised that the gathering was peaceful and served to voice the long-standing concerns of tens of thousands of retirees who have waited patiently for justice.
“Our message today is simple—we are not asking for charity, only what is rightfully ours under the law.” - May 31, 2025