BERA, July 13 — Children of armed forces veterans will have a chance to further their studies at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak) for free for one year, with the costs to be borne by the university, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the programme would involve 2,500 children of veterans over a five-year period at a cost of RM12,500 per student for the one-year period, after which the students involved can choose whether to remain at the university or move to study elsewhere.
Ismail Sabri also said the government had agreed in principle to give a RM500 aid to those looking after their bedridden spouse, under an initiative which was first discussed when he was Senior Defence Minister.
“The government has never forgotten the deeds of veterans for the country and we will definitely help in whatever aspects possible to ease their burden. We want to ensure that the welfare of veterans is protected because they have risked their lives to defend the country.
“I am always open to meeting any parties to discuss issues involving veterans’ affairs because this matter is close to my heart,” he said when opening the administrative office of the Bera Branch Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association (PV ATM) at Taman Merbau Indah here tonight.
Also present were Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans’ Affairs Department (JHEV ATM) director-general Datuk Dzulkarnain Ahmad and JHEV ATM Pahang director Mejar Khairul Ashinar Azid@Aziz.
The prime minister said the Housing and Local Government Ministry was committed to providing a special quota for veterans and defence personnel in its affordable housing projects.
Ismail Sabri said he had also asked for a special allocation for veterans in the proposed construction of 1,000 houses under the Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) in Bera.
“Among my focus after I became Senior Defence Minister has been the housing issue,” he said.
He said armed forces personnel and veterans should have the assurance that their families would always have comfortable places of accommodation.
At the function, the prime minister also approved a RM20,000 allocation for the Bera Armed Forces Veterans Association, which has been operating since 2016.
