Punish servicemen who betrayed the nation

New Straits Times

a day ago

The recent disclosure of corrupt senior military officers must have left Malaysians shocked, angry, and deeply disillusioned.
I am distraught by the treachery of the few entrusted with safeguarding the nation lining up their own pockets.
In my days as a soldier, a treasonable crime like this was punishable by death.
As one who once wore the uniform and carried the rifle into the thick jungles of Sarawak, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan, I have known the weight of duty, the taste of fear, and the nearness of death.
While my life was spared, so many of my comrades who gave their life for this beloved land, perished. Some live with limbs permanently scarred with amputation.
I still carry the guilt of brave soldiers from my Regiment who lost their lives in an ambush in the jungles of Kalabakan, 1963.
Although I was not personally present at Kalabakan, the incident changed the course of my life.
After the Federated Military College, I opted to join the Third Royal Malay Regiment at Alor Star.
When I read headlines of millions siphoned from procurement contracts, I think of the ordinary soldiers I once commanded — men who went hungry in the jungle so their comrades could eat, who marched until their feet blistered, who endured without complaint.
These were soldiers who lived the values of sacrifice and loyalty. To see those values trampled by selfishness at the top is a humiliation too bitter to accept.
The military is the embodiment of honour, loyalty, and sacrifice. It is the bulwark of national sovereignty.
We did not fight for wealth, nor for personal glory. We fought for Malaysia.
That is why the recent exposure cut so deep. They are not just news reports to me — they are wounds reopened.
For those of us who lived through the hardship of military service, who bled and endured for the sake of our nation, it is unbearable to see senior officers stain the reputation of the Armed Forces with greed and betrayal.
Their corruption is not merely a crime against the law—it is a crime against the honour of every soldier who has carried out his duty with integrity.
My anger is directed at the corrupt few. I know from my own service, and from my colleagues the MAF remains filled with brave, disciplined, and loyal men and women.
They still rise before dawn, put on their uniforms with pride, and stand ready to sacrifice for the nation.
For every officer who betrays his oath, there are countless soldiers who remain steadfast, who ask for nothing more than to serve with honour.
These are the good durians — solid, strong, and fragrant still imbued with the spirit of patriotism.
It is for their sake that we must root out corruption.
The damage goes deeper than wasted funds. Corruption corrodes morale. It breeds cynicism among younger officers, soldiers and netizens.
By cleansing the institution of the dishonest, we preserve the dignity of the honest.
We owe this to the younger generation of soldiers who still believe in service above self.