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Re: Asking Questions
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Post Re: Asking Questions 
We know that the PJM recommendation was based on myths, disinformation and the inappropriate application of rules. Formal permission for you to wear the PJM has been withheld unjustifiably and we intend to make that case. We are not jumping on barrack room lawyer's soap boxes here. We can corroborate everything we say.

But we need to know what has actually happened. To do that we have to research but, asyou may have read on the "Facts You Should Know" forum (see http://www.fight4thepjm.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730), we have a bit of a problem. All is not well at Kew. Files have gone AWOL.

And so we have to ask questions. Here are three letters that do exactly that.

http://www.fight4thepjm.org/Correspondence/Brennan_MinStat_1_030906.pdf

http://www.fight4thepjm.org/Correspondence/Edge_Rule_Origins_1_030906.pdf

http://www.fight4thepjm.org/Correspondence/Edge_Commemoratives_1_030906.pdf

Why not ask some questions and let us know if you get a reply.

Remember we have an ongoing Star Letters Competition on the Competition page at http://www.fight4thepjm.org/competitions.htm! And some fantastic prizes, too.


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post One Example of 'questions asked'! 
The following letter has been sent by LtCdrRJH Griffiths to his MP...I post it here, in his name, given his kind permission...'Jock'.

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Dear Sir,

In the early sixties President Sukarno of Indonesia sought to deflect attention from his misgovernment at home by 'Confronting' his nearest external neighbour, the infant federation of Malaysia. A very large force from Britain, Australia and New Zealand was sent to the area and maintained there for many months to protect Malaysia from attack and subversion. The operation was hugely expensive, and conditions for servicemen in the tropical, leech-infested, malarial jungle were extremely difficult, but our efforts were completely successful and established Malaysia as a democratic successor to its colonial components, which had been originally saved from Communism by Commonwealth servicemen in the forties and fifties. During 'Confrontation' many British, Australian and New Zealand servicemen paid with their lives for Malaysian freedom.

Early in 2005 the Government of Malaysia very generously offered to recognise the debt their country owed by proposing to award a medal, the Pingat Jasa Malaysia, to all Commonwealth veterans and to the heirs of fatal casualties and deceased veterans. It can be estimated that a very large proportion of those in the services at the time are eligible; certainly in the case of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines the vast majority. The numbers involved must run into tens of thousands.

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand accepted promptly and with gratitude and their Defence Ministries collated lists of eligibles and managed the resulting distribution process, the medal to be worn after those bearing Her Majesty's effigy but before non-Commonwealth decorations such as those awarded by the United States, and, for instance, the UN medal awarded for service in the Korean War.

In sad contrast the MoD and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office here combined in refusing this offer for British servicemen. After a long campaign, dating back to an Early Day Motion in the Commons in March 2005 signed by a large number of MPs, these ministries gave in but stipulated that the MoD would do nothing to facilitate the process and that all applications would have to be handled by unpaid, voluntary veterans' organisations. The Borneo Veterans Association gallantly agreed to front applications from the many ex-servicemen who do not belong to a relevant organisation.

Sadly (and bizarrely), however, although belatedly agreeing that the PJM could be issued, the FCO ruled that it might not actually be worn. It is difficult to see this as any other than an act of spite by civil servants against ex-Servicemen. Among ex-Servicemen the resentment is enormous and finds clear expression in numerous places on the internet, including sites used and read by those currently serving. It is particularly offensive that British veterans are denied something that has been freely and enthusiastically accepted for their ANZAC brothers in arms.

Perhaps more unfortunately this must be seen also as a deliberate snub to one of the few Moslem nations on the planet which is not only a democracy but also friendly to the United Kingdom. What Malaysia has done to deserve this deliberate insult by HMG is beyond comprehension and bespeaks crass incompetence at a very high level in the FCO.

The FCO has sought to justify its stand by precedent and various alleged rules. Its stand has been now been the subject of a formal Rebuttal (since updated), supported by the reported views of a number of MPs, including Privy Councillors, and formal legal opinion. This has been reinforced by a petition to Her Majesty in whose name this recognition has been refused.

Please will you formally ask the Foreign Secretary whether she has personally read this Petition to the Queen, the Rebuttal and the Update thereto? And will she now please modify her stance so as to allow British Service veterans equal treatment with their Commonwealth allies?

And can you assure those concerned in this of David Camerons support on this issue?

Yours sincerely,

Robert Griffiths.


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...................'Jock'
Paroi...Rasah...Batu Signals Troop.
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Post Don Touhig. 
I emailed Don Touhig some time ago to ask the question 'who gave the order/command that the PJM could not be worn'.

I received an email yesterday saying he wanted my address to that he can correspond with me.
I look forward to his answer to my question as I have asked it many, many times and never received a satisfactory reply. From the wording of the Written Ministerial statement I am suspicious that Her Majesty the Queen did not refuse to allow her own troops the right to wear this medal and that someone in the Civil Service issued such an instruction. If I am correct then there will be very serious trouble for whoever did so. If I am wrong then I am flabbergasted that our Sovereign could treat her own troops in such a shameful and discriminatory manner, and whoever advised such action should be taken to task and well and truly sorted out.

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Hear! Hear! to that one Andy, we know we cannot find this out under The Freedom of Information Act 2000 as I have a letter from Ms Pengelly telling me so. I replied to her saying that they (HMG) were protecting the GUILTY!


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HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
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No George. The MOD are the only people (from what I have seen) who have came out and said that Her Majesty the Queen refused permission for the PJM to be worn. All the others skipped around this and would not answer properly any question I have asked in this vein. When Don Touhig was Veterans Minister he said this so I have asked him if he has seen any official document, has it been published in the London Gazette, or what personal knowledge has he that the Queen actually signed a recommendation, or gave a command, that British Citizens eligible for the PJM will not be allowed to wear it. I think we have a legal and moral right to know just what the instruction is and who gave the order.
Whitehall chicanery and mysterious ways may be obvious to a 14 year old but this rule of non-wearing defies my belief that our Queen could be part of it and I will not be convinced until I find out the truth.

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