A real mess in the forces

“She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah,

“She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah,

“With a love like that, you know you should be glad.”

THAT is the chorus of She Loves You, a Beatles song (yes, I am that old) which was immensely popular in the 1960s.

It also spawned a music genre locally called “pop yeh yeh”. Everyone – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sarawakians and Sabahans – was hooked on it.

Over the years, though, that pop culture waned, what with conservative religionists who were dead set against such music.

I really thought it was dead. But I was mistaken. Apparently, the culture lived on – at least in our army camps.

There was a time when the officers’ mess in army camps served alcohol. Officers would go there to unwind. At times, there was karaoke and some dancing. Some officers brought their girlfriends or wives along.

There was no hanky-panky. It was all good, clean fun. Alcohol was optional, music was a must, and dancing a bonus. That was the “yeye party”.

It wasn’t just the army. The police had a mess in Bukit Aman, too. Even us media folk have a press club or two to unwind in after a stressful day.

The so-called parties at such places were events where people came to discuss issues and catch up on professional matters in a relaxed atmosphere. Of course, there were no call girls involved.

That is the one thing that seems to have changed.

At the Subang Air Base recently, a group of military men were caught partying too hard. There was alcohol and there were loose women. Worse, junior officers were apparently forced to cover the costs.

That, of course, is unacceptable – both the part about the women and the forced payments. The officers involved now face a court martial. They could be dishonourably discharged, the worst way to leave the armed forces.

The thing is, rowdy, rambunctious military men have been around forever.

In Penang, we used to have the Royal Australian Air Force base and very often, navy ships would dock at the island. It was common to see some soldiers and sailors letting off steam. Hong Kong Bar in Chulia Street was their favou­rite watering hole.

They even took over trishaws. It was a sight to behold – these burly white men pedalling trishaws while the trishawman became the passenger. Loud ­singing and even expletives could be heard on the streets.

Sometimes, there would be brawls and MPs – military policemen, not politicians – would have to be called in. Still, these were not considered major criminal acts. These were just soldiers ­letting off steam after weeks of hard duty.

That, exactly, is what the yeye parties were meant to be, says a former military officer friend. An avenue to let off steam.

“No one was forced to attend. There were some women guests but not sex workers or bar girls. Some officers brought their own drinks after the mess bar stopped selling alcohol.

“There would be karaoke, ­dancing and plenty of food at the mess hall.

“Officers would share tales about life in the army, especially with the women guests, trying to impress them.”

The soldiers even have a term for that: “Chonging”.

The question then is: Do these soldiers deserve the dishonour of a court martial?

The armed forces really have other, bigger messes to worry about.

Just look at another breed of military officers: The high-ranking ones who made millions off procurement projects and other deals.

These senior officers are said to have taken huge bribes in exchange for giving out supply and maintenance projects. We are talking about hundreds of projects worth close to RM100mil. Some 26 companies are said to be involved, and 17 directors have been hauled up.

If they are indeed guilty, these senior officers have not only brought disrepute to the forces, they also betrayed their own men who would have benefited from the projects.

On the face of it, they are often holier-than-thou. The soldiers have a name for that too: “Pijak semut pun tak mati”, meaning they seem so good they couldn’t even harm a fly.

Yet they have inflicted great harm on the image of Malaysia’s Armed Forces. All that money seized – more than RM12mil – should have reached our soldiers, men and women who put their lives on the line to keep the country safe.

And what of those in the elite secret security safeguard who sold data to smugglers, also taking millions in bribes while allowing contraband and drugs to be moved in and out of the country?

All were high-ranking officers, or former officers. They were arrested five months ago but little has been said of the matter since.

If anyone should be court-­martialled, stripped of their ranks and dishonourably discharged, it should be the corrupt, high-ranking officers.

Of course, that’s only if they are actually guilty.

Once wrongdoing is proven, there should be no easy way out. No early retirement into civilian life and a cushy post in some ­company. The corrupt must be punished, no matter how high their position.

The Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan has said so. Our current King has said so. The ­corrupt must be made to pay. And there should be no sympathy or support for them.

And what of those at yeye ­parties, you may ask.

Well, those who took part should face the music too and be punished. But the one thing we really should be making a song and dance about is corruption in high places.