ID :
162980
Tue, 02/22/2011 - 10:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/162980
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EX-British Malayan army no longer neglected
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- It has been long known that Malaysia's strategic location and abundance of natural resources made it a prime target of colonial powers, as proven since the period of the Malacca Sultanate.
Even before the Second World War, the country, then known as Malaya, has been the main source of riches for the British empire.
During the war, British army comprising those from Commonwealth countries like Nepal, India, Australia, New Zealand and Malaya soon found themselves under pressure from the determined attacks of the Japanese Army.
The British army were forced to retreat, little by little, starting Dec 8, 1941. Japanese powers took over the whole of Malaysia on Jan 31 1942 and reigned until 1945.
But the British did not give up the responsibility of protecting Malayans and Singaporeans, whom it considered its citizens, from the cruelty of Japanese soldiers. In addition to breaking into hospitals and killing patients, Japanese soldiers at the time also attempted genocide of the Malayan Chinese.
BOY'S WING BIRTH SKILLFUL SOLDIERS
The failure to defend their empire only strengthened British resolve to beef up Malaya's defence system. In line with this, four military schools known as the Boy's Wing were established for teenagers around the age of 14.
During the British Empire rule, locals in every colonised country were trained and equipped with knowledge of the British defence system. Upon graduation, they were absorbed into the local branches of British armies and became known as Locally Enlisted Personnel (LEP).
Besides academic focus, the schools also provided military and technical training. Interestingly, the Port Dickson branch of the Boy's Wing later became the foundation for the establishment of now locally-renowned Royal Military College.
Backed by the technically-skillful LEPs, the Malayan British army soon became a force to be reckoned with, playing an important role in preserving peace in the country.
THE BRITISH ROLE POST-MERDEKA
This includes the time of unrest in Malaysia due to aggressive communist activities, which put the nation under curfew between 1948 to 1960. It also instigated the battle at the Kalimantan border from 1962 to 1966 that took place during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontration.
The help of the British army was still needed post-Merdeka, as the country's economy became heavily-crippled in the aftermaths of the Japanese occupation and communist activism.
"The transfer of power from the British Empire to the local government happened systematically and peacefully, fascilitated by a good defence system plan," says Malaysian Ex-British Army Association President Che Onn Neamat.
He says this shows that the British government carried on in helping maintain peace in the country while the local government worked on improving the country economically, politically and socially. Che Onn who is a British army veteran is also a former student of Army Boys Trade School, the Pulau Sentosa
(Sentosa Island) branch of the Boy's Wing in Singapore.
He says before leaving the country, the British government also helped in the formulation of the Malaysian policing system as well as the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The situation would be different had they not executed the transfer of power with great detail.
Countries like Vietnam engaged in lengthy civil wars after the colonisation of the United States of America because of improper execution in the transfer of power.
It can therefore be concluded that the role of the LEPs in defending the country's sovereignity is important, despite them fighting under the British flag.
THE LOCAL EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN'S FATE
A question now arises: what has become of the LEPs after the British Army of Malaya after it was disbanded in 1972?
After they were made redundant, some were awarded early retirement and received pension from the British government. Some received compensation, but sadly, the rest did not receive assistance or support of any kind.
However, every year the British government allocated an amount of money through certain entities that act as patrons to LEPs in their countries to help those left out.
RCEL'S CHARITY GRANT
But in Malaysia, there is no record to show whether or not the money chanelled to them through the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL) was received.
Only the RCEL charity grant record from 2005 can be traced by the PBAB, where 25 ex-British servicemen or their widows received an RCEL living allowance through Ex-Services Association of Malaysia (PBTM).
In 2009, RCEL channelled GBP7,675 (about RM37,677.50) through PBTM for distribution to LEP or their widows.
This is only a nominal sum from the charity grant which totals GBP 1,242,278
(RM6,098,500) that has been distributed in 2009 to around 65,000 veterans from 43 Commonwealth countries that deserve living assistance.
Things change for the better on May 6, 2009 when PBAB was formed by Che Onn and his former Boy's Wing friends and was recognised by both Malaysia and Britain as equipped to take over RCEL matters in Malaysia.
In just a short time they have managed to track more Malaysian ex-British army or their widows who deserve the charity grant, increasing the amount to GBP 36,450 (RM 175,619.35).
The handing over ceremony between the two associations took place on Feb 2 this year and was witnessed by RCEL's Secretary-General Colonel P.A. Davis.
TRACKING DOWN EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN
"We are happy to help 95 ex-British Malaysian army and their widows get the welfare allowance that was owed to them since quite a while ago," says Che Onn, adding that the PBAB committee members work on a voluntary basis.
PBAB is also aggresively tracking down many other LEP members who have been left out cold, going as far as travelling the length and breadth of the country
to increase membership and facilitate the dissemination of information.
Meanwhile, Davis explains that his presence in Malaysia was part of RCEL's routine visit to Commonwealth countries which receive annual welfare allowance from them.
"Every three years, representatives from the RCEL league will visit local LEP associations for auditing purposes and to see whether the funds are received
by the deserving.
"Today, the league is patron to 56 associations from 48 Commonwealth Countries," explains Davis who arrived from London a day prior to the handing over ceremony.
MEETING EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN
The trip also provided him the chance to meet ex-British servicemen face-to-face for the first time. He was introduced to 30 former British army and their widows during the ceremony.
He also visited the homes of three needy and ill veterans in Gombak, Selayang and Puchong to listen to their plight after they were made redundant four decades ago.
Davis commended the systematic method and discipline employed by PBAB in collecting over 800 membership in less than two years.
"They've achieved remarkable progress although they did not have an office and worked from home," he says.
Ex-British soldiers and widows whose husband never joined other armed forces after 1972 are urged to contact Che Onn at 6012-6590136 or by e-mailing onn1941@gmail.com so that they may be updated.
Even before the Second World War, the country, then known as Malaya, has been the main source of riches for the British empire.
During the war, British army comprising those from Commonwealth countries like Nepal, India, Australia, New Zealand and Malaya soon found themselves under pressure from the determined attacks of the Japanese Army.
The British army were forced to retreat, little by little, starting Dec 8, 1941. Japanese powers took over the whole of Malaysia on Jan 31 1942 and reigned until 1945.
But the British did not give up the responsibility of protecting Malayans and Singaporeans, whom it considered its citizens, from the cruelty of Japanese soldiers. In addition to breaking into hospitals and killing patients, Japanese soldiers at the time also attempted genocide of the Malayan Chinese.
BOY'S WING BIRTH SKILLFUL SOLDIERS
The failure to defend their empire only strengthened British resolve to beef up Malaya's defence system. In line with this, four military schools known as the Boy's Wing were established for teenagers around the age of 14.
During the British Empire rule, locals in every colonised country were trained and equipped with knowledge of the British defence system. Upon graduation, they were absorbed into the local branches of British armies and became known as Locally Enlisted Personnel (LEP).
Besides academic focus, the schools also provided military and technical training. Interestingly, the Port Dickson branch of the Boy's Wing later became the foundation for the establishment of now locally-renowned Royal Military College.
Backed by the technically-skillful LEPs, the Malayan British army soon became a force to be reckoned with, playing an important role in preserving peace in the country.
THE BRITISH ROLE POST-MERDEKA
This includes the time of unrest in Malaysia due to aggressive communist activities, which put the nation under curfew between 1948 to 1960. It also instigated the battle at the Kalimantan border from 1962 to 1966 that took place during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontration.
The help of the British army was still needed post-Merdeka, as the country's economy became heavily-crippled in the aftermaths of the Japanese occupation and communist activism.
"The transfer of power from the British Empire to the local government happened systematically and peacefully, fascilitated by a good defence system plan," says Malaysian Ex-British Army Association President Che Onn Neamat.
He says this shows that the British government carried on in helping maintain peace in the country while the local government worked on improving the country economically, politically and socially. Che Onn who is a British army veteran is also a former student of Army Boys Trade School, the Pulau Sentosa
(Sentosa Island) branch of the Boy's Wing in Singapore.
He says before leaving the country, the British government also helped in the formulation of the Malaysian policing system as well as the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The situation would be different had they not executed the transfer of power with great detail.
Countries like Vietnam engaged in lengthy civil wars after the colonisation of the United States of America because of improper execution in the transfer of power.
It can therefore be concluded that the role of the LEPs in defending the country's sovereignity is important, despite them fighting under the British flag.
THE LOCAL EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN'S FATE
A question now arises: what has become of the LEPs after the British Army of Malaya after it was disbanded in 1972?
After they were made redundant, some were awarded early retirement and received pension from the British government. Some received compensation, but sadly, the rest did not receive assistance or support of any kind.
However, every year the British government allocated an amount of money through certain entities that act as patrons to LEPs in their countries to help those left out.
RCEL'S CHARITY GRANT
But in Malaysia, there is no record to show whether or not the money chanelled to them through the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL) was received.
Only the RCEL charity grant record from 2005 can be traced by the PBAB, where 25 ex-British servicemen or their widows received an RCEL living allowance through Ex-Services Association of Malaysia (PBTM).
In 2009, RCEL channelled GBP7,675 (about RM37,677.50) through PBTM for distribution to LEP or their widows.
This is only a nominal sum from the charity grant which totals GBP 1,242,278
(RM6,098,500) that has been distributed in 2009 to around 65,000 veterans from 43 Commonwealth countries that deserve living assistance.
Things change for the better on May 6, 2009 when PBAB was formed by Che Onn and his former Boy's Wing friends and was recognised by both Malaysia and Britain as equipped to take over RCEL matters in Malaysia.
In just a short time they have managed to track more Malaysian ex-British army or their widows who deserve the charity grant, increasing the amount to GBP 36,450 (RM 175,619.35).
The handing over ceremony between the two associations took place on Feb 2 this year and was witnessed by RCEL's Secretary-General Colonel P.A. Davis.
TRACKING DOWN EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN
"We are happy to help 95 ex-British Malaysian army and their widows get the welfare allowance that was owed to them since quite a while ago," says Che Onn, adding that the PBAB committee members work on a voluntary basis.
PBAB is also aggresively tracking down many other LEP members who have been left out cold, going as far as travelling the length and breadth of the country
to increase membership and facilitate the dissemination of information.
Meanwhile, Davis explains that his presence in Malaysia was part of RCEL's routine visit to Commonwealth countries which receive annual welfare allowance from them.
"Every three years, representatives from the RCEL league will visit local LEP associations for auditing purposes and to see whether the funds are received
by the deserving.
"Today, the league is patron to 56 associations from 48 Commonwealth Countries," explains Davis who arrived from London a day prior to the handing over ceremony.
MEETING EX-BRITISH SERVICEMEN
The trip also provided him the chance to meet ex-British servicemen face-to-face for the first time. He was introduced to 30 former British army and their widows during the ceremony.
He also visited the homes of three needy and ill veterans in Gombak, Selayang and Puchong to listen to their plight after they were made redundant four decades ago.
Davis commended the systematic method and discipline employed by PBAB in collecting over 800 membership in less than two years.
"They've achieved remarkable progress although they did not have an office and worked from home," he says.
Ex-British soldiers and widows whose husband never joined other armed forces after 1972 are urged to contact Che Onn at 6012-6590136 or by e-mailing onn1941@gmail.com so that they may be updated.
