Image of the PJM Medal
Banner Text = Fight For the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal

Multiple Guess Competition

Competition 3 (Closed)

C ompetition 3 was won by Dave Woolmer! Congratulations to Dave who chose a book as his prize.

"The Jungle Beat: Fighting Terrorists in Malaya" written by a PJMer, Roy Follows (see him with his book at the PJM Presentation in London). It is a brilliant book from the pages of which you will smell the jungle again - and the fear - a book that " ... tells the story with no holds barred: war as war is. A compelling reminder of deep jungle operations", with lots of photographs. Roy has been kind enough to agree to sign each book.

 

Question 1:

The Ministerial Statement invokes to two alleged "long standing" rules in order to stop us wearing the PJM. The Honours system is 650 years old. For how long was the Double-Medal rule in force starting from the date that the Foreign Decorations Rules incorporating that rule was first promulgated via Parliament to the date the PJM was announced by Malaysia?

 

I don't know. I know I should, but I don't!

 
 

325 years - give or take 300 years either side

 
 

Minus 1 year. The suits inserted it after the event.

Correct!
 

156 years. Civil servants say there were rules in 1850.

  
 

Question 2:

The second "long established" rule is the 5-year rule which has apparently been in Foreign Decorations Rules for a long time. When, in fact, was a 5-year rule first recorded in any Foreign Decorations Rules?

 

I don't know. But I'm working on it ...

 
 

1066? Did William bring it import it?

 
 

1805? Did Nelson keep one eye open for them?

 
 

1969? Was the "long standing" rule just Moonshine?

Correct!
 

Question 3:

The Malaysians asked the Australian and New Zealand Governments if they could award the PJM to their veterans in late 2004. The British Government, ever alert to the main chance, claim they were not approached until ...

 

I don't know. My head hurts!

 
 

March 2005 ... many months after the rest of the Commonwealth.

 Correct!
 

Same time as the Aussies and Kiwis - why should the Brit veterans be discriminated against!

 
 

On Veterans Day ... when the British Government honoured and acknowledged the service veterans had given. Or didn't, as the (PJM) case may be.