Name
Full address 
Including Post Code

To: My MP (by email or by letter to The Commons)

Dear [name of MP]

Subject: Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM)

I am sure you will be aware of the recent recommendation of the Honours and Decorations Committee that denies British Malaya and Borneo veterans the right to wear the PJM that has been graciously offered to them by the King and Government of Malaysia for their part in successfully protecting newly independent Malaysia from aggression.

Please accept this letter as an expression of my extreme disappointment at that recent decision reached by Her Majesty's advisors, who comprise the HD Committee, regarding the restricted acceptance of the PJM announced in the FCO Ministerial Statement on the 31st January 2006.

I am writing to you to ask if you will support us (British Malaya and Borneo veterans) in our struggle to have this shameful recommendation amended so that I, and others like me, have formal permission to wear our PJM with pride.  That is all we are seeking.  The medal has been accepted by The Queen - we just want to be able to wear it.
 
To tell 35,000 loyal military ex-servicemen and women, and civilians, that they may accept a medal which they will not be permitted to wear, defies all logic. On one hand, we are told that two rules (double-medalling and events over 5 years ago) are waived to permit acceptance and then, paradoxically, are immediately resurrected as reasons for the medal not to be ‘formally’ worn. To make matters worse, the double-medalling objection is wrong not only because thousands of veterans eligible for the PJM have no British medal, but also because the 5 year rule is spurious when applied to the scope of the Malaysian medal which was offered to the British in 2005.
 
This decision denigrates the loyalty and service of the affected veterans. In addition, it demeans the sacrifice made by those who fell during the course of those conflicts. It also offers an unwarranted insult to the Agong, Government and People of Malaysia.

The restricted recommendation places Her Majesty the Queen in the invidious position of having told her British citizens that they must accept rights inferior to those which she has previously conferred upon her Australian and New Zealand citizens, their Commonwealth comrades, despite the British being the only ones to serve in all parts of Malaysia throughout the period.

Bearing in mind those eligible for the PJM  are now ageing civilians who will never wear a uniform again, we cannot understand why we have been denied this little bit of joy for what we did for Malaysia.  More than that, why have we been made to feel second class citizens?

Thank you for your help and support.

Your Constituent,

              Signed:    ………………………………………………….
    
PS:  If I do not hear from you, I shall assume that your support is not being given.
PPS:  Please see the WebPages at www.fight4thepjm.org for more information.  It is also where we list those MP’s who have indicated the support. MP’s, who do not support Malaya/Borneo veterans’ right to wear their PJM unconditionally, are also shown.