MELAKA: The Defence Ministry (Mindef) has spent RM123.92mil on the Cost-of-Living Aid (BSH) programme for more than 33,000 Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) veterans in need, says Adly Zahari.
The Deputy Defence Minister said the assistance covered welfare, healthcare, housing, education and economic empowerment of veterans.
“The purpose of this visit is to ensure that our initiatives reach them,” he told reporters at the Bukit Katil Series 2 Madani Veteran Care Programme (PVM) in Taman Bukit Melaka, Bukit Beruang here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Also present were ATM Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV) deputy director-general Sophian Isswandy Ismail and Melaka and Negri Sembilan ATM JHEV branch director Mejar Muhammad Zarifi Tumin.
Meanwhile, Mindef said in a statement that the PVM programme was among the ministry’s ongoing initiatives through ATM JHEV to ensure the welfare of veterans continued to receive attention and that assistance was delivered in a more accurate and targeted manner.
The statement said 14 residences were visited, involving seven ailing veterans, six widows and one child with disabilities.
Various forms of assistance were provided, including hospital beds, walking frames and disposable nappies.
