MELAKA, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has spent RM123.92 million on the Cost-of-Living Aid (BSH) programme for more than 33,000 Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans in need, said Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari.
He said the assistance provided under the programme 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 today.
Also present were MAF Veteran Affairs Department (JHEV) deputy director-general Sophian Isswandy Ismail and Melaka and Negeri Sembilan MAF JHEV Branch director Major Muhammad Zarifi Tumin.
Meanwhile, MINDEF said in a statement that the PVM programme was among the ministry's ongoing initiatives through MAF JHEV to ensure the welfare of veterans continued to receive attention and that assistance was delivered in a more accurate and targeted manner.
The effort was in line with Core 7 of the National Defence Strategic Plan (PSPN) 2026-2030, MAF Veteran Wellbeing Empowerment, which emphasises comprehensive efforts to improve the well-being of MAF veterans.
"The implementation of PVM through a grassroots approach also strengthens cross-agency collaboration in ensuring that the welfare needs of MAF veterans can be identified and addressed in a more integrated and targeted manner," it said.
The statement said 14 residences were visited, involving seven ailing veterans, six widows and one child with disabilities (OKU).
Various forms of assistance were provided, including hospital beds and mattresses, wheelchairs, walking frames and disposable nappies, as well as BSH, Veteran Cards, Funeral Arrangement Assistance (BMJ) and the award of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM).
-- BERNAMA