THE disclosure of corrupt senior military officers has 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 is punishable by death.
I write 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, many of my comrades have perished, giving their lives for this beloved land. Some live with limbs permanently scarred from 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 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 Setar.
When I read the 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, men who marched until their feet blistered and men who endured without complaint. These were soldiers who valued sacrifice and loyalty. To see these 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.
Yet, in peacetime, in our twilight years, despite the sacrifice, the system has failed us. Many military veterans like me have been refused treatment at certain hospitals.
That is why today’s expose cuts 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, not at the Armed Forces as a whole. I know from my service and 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.
It would be unfair to allow the crimes of a few rotten apples to overshadow the devotion of the many. For every officer who betrays his oath, countless soldiers remain steadfast, asking 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. If we remain silent, we allow the bad to taint the good. 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.
The damage goes deeper than wasted funds. Corruption corrodes morale. It breeds cynicism among younger officers, soldiers and netizens.
Why should a private sacrifice for the nation if his commander is enriching himself? Why should honest officers stay true to their oath if they see others promoted not on merit but on connections greased with money? Such rot, if unchecked, can hollow out the military from within.
BA Hamzah