Prince Andrew attends remembrance service at Tugu Negara

KUALA LUMPUR: The Duke of York Prince Andrew, Sunday attended the 32nd Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL) Conference service of remembrance at the National Monument (Tugu Negara), here.

The sharply dressed prince, who is also the grand president of RCEL, arrived at 10.35am and posed for a photograph with 115 RCEL members before laying a wreath towards the end of the service at the cenotaph.

RCEL is a Commonwealth charity with 57 member organisations in 50 Commonwealth countries and provides welfare for 40,000 Commonwealth ex-servicemen in the member countries.

Also present during the service were Malaysian Ex-British Army Association president, Che Onn Neamat, and RCEL secretary-general, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Warren.

According to Warren, the RCEL organised a conference for delegates from member organisations every four years and this year, Malaysia was chosen to be the host of its 32nd conference, from June 26 to 29.

He said this was the first time the conference was being held in Malaysia after Malta in 2012.

“Che Onn came to Malta four years ago and he pitched for Malaysia. He was up against some other countries but the whole of the Commonwealth voted that they wanted to come to Malaysia.

“Che Onn did such a good job in saying that Malaysia and its people would make us feel very welcome,” he told reporters after the service.

Che Onn said RCEL had helped ex-British army veterans like himself by granting them funds from the charity.

“With the formation of our association (Malaysian Ex-British Army Association) and with the help of RCEL and the UK, we are getting grants or funds that benefit almost 200 ex-British army veterans here who are old and frail now,” he said. - Bernama