Herewith an article I sent to the New Straits Times (20/10/2006) in response to an enquirer to their newspaper about the PJM.

The newspaper has published details of our campaign.

Please note: The published letter referes to 'Felton' but in my article I addressed the enquirer as Mr Felton. Use of the surname without a title is usual in the Far East but not here. My apologies to Mr Felton.

I was fascinated by their reference to 'Fenton'!! A Freudian slip by the newspaper because I only referred to Mr Felton! It is clear our Chairman's name is well known in Malaysia! ... as I know it is in the shadowy corridors of Whitehall.

Here is the article:

.


_________________
BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia

Here is the link into the NSTP Letters page with Barry's answer:

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/Letters/20061020090314/Article/index_html

My apologies, I seem to have missed the original letter. My searches of the NSTP site have not thrown up any results for some time.

BarryF wrote:

The newspaper has published details of our campaign.

It is good to see that the true story is being published in Malaysia. In Malaysia where I live the understanding was that the medal could be worn in accordance with the publicity of the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. I think we have been misled and we are grateful to Fight4thePJM for telling us the truth. We now understand why you are fighting to wear the Malaysian medal. We want you to wear it.

In my country we never do anything knowingly to cause offence and that is true especially when we talk about our Royal Families. The British High Commission said that the PJM can be worn but the British Government say that would cause offence to the Queen. Why do the British High Commission encourage British people to cause offence to their Queen? We do not understand that. My highest regards to all British veterans.

calico wrote:

BarryF wrote:

The newspaper has published details of our campaign.

It is good to see that the true story is being published in Malaysia. In Malaysia where I live the understanding was that the medal could be worn in accordance with the publicity of the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. I think we have been misled and we are grateful to Fight4thePJM for telling us the truth. We now understand why you are fighting to wear the Malaysian medal. We want you to wear it.

In my country we never do anything knowingly to cause offence and that is true especially when we talk about our Royal Families. The British High Commission said that the PJM can be worn but the British Government say that would cause offence to the Queen. Why do the British High Commission encourage British people to cause offence to their Queen? We do not understand that. My highest regards to all British veterans.

Thank you so much for highlighting our plight, I trust that our friends in Malaysia will spread the word and get the true story out regarding the wearing of the PJM. I received my fathers and my own PJM less than three weeks ago and presented by a Malaysian Colonel. I was honoured to receive both and I will be PROUD to WEAR both!

Best regards
John


_________________
--------------------------------------------------------------
HD Committee: Amateurs in a Professional World
---------------------------------------------------------------

BarryF wrote:

Herewith an article I sent to the New Straits Times (20/10/2006)

.

You chaps get everywhere. I would like to be a fly on the wall when Moody reads his newspaper!

Email to the suits at the FCO, Mod and the Cabinet Office

Ladies and Gentlemen:
This week an ex British Army Warrant Officer became the first Malaysian to receive the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal (PJM).

WO Felton on leaving the army stayed on in the Far East and later became a Malaysian Citizen. He has received his PJM but is unable to wear it without causing Grave Discourtesy to HM the Queen because he earned his PJM as a British Citizen and so is governed by the rules that apply to British Veterans.
If this was put forward as a “Yes Minister” sketch it would have been thrown out as too far fetched, but it is true. He cannot wear his PJM in his adopted Country the very Country that has awarded the PJM in the first place, how ludicrous is that?

The quicker this situation is corrected the better, then we can all go back to our retirement and that will only happen when all British Veterans can wear their PJM with pride on all and every occasion.

Access these links and add your opinions to the 'comments' section.....


http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.1232692.0.0.php

http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/comments/view.html?story_id=224041

Another opportunity to make a little point lads!


_________________
...................'Jock'
Paroi...Rasah...Batu Signals Troop.

And I am getting mine at Swindon Wednesday also as is my wife who is picking up her fathers posthumous award!
John