Junaidi (centre) receiving a souvenir from Sabtu after their meeting yesterday. — Photos by Chimon Upon
A close-up photo of the newly approved PJPN medal.
KUCHING: Those who served the country during the state of emergencies will be awarded the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara (PJPN) medals in stages starting this year, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced here yesterday.
“It has been approved by the Cabinet and endorsed by the King,” he said at a media conference after chairing a meeting at the State Police Headquarters officers’ mess here.
He said that the medals will be bestowed on those who served in any of the emergencies, based on merit, as recognition and honour for their spirit of heroism, including the police, armed forces and civilians.
Wan Junaidi, who is Santubong MP, said that the PJPN however will be without monetary allowance unlike SP and PGB gallantry awards which were given monthly monetary reward.
He disclosed that Sarawak has been given the honour to launch the medal bestowment on a date that was yet to be fixed but expected to be within this month.
“Our ministry which is in charge of the distribution of medals has invited the Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Muhammad Salahudin Abang Barieng to give away the medals to between 100 and 150 recipients during the launching,” he pointed out.
According to him about 1,000 medals would be given out in the state for the first phase starting this year.
“Based on our list we have 146,888 people throughout the country who are eligible to receive the medals and for the first batch we are going to give out 10,000.
“Apart from giving the medals to surviving recipients posthumous medals will also be given to those who have passed away since under the statute the father, wife or children can also receive the medals on behalf of the recipients,” he asserted.
He earlier explained that the nation was under state of emergencies between 1948-1960 and 1960-1989 in Peninsular Malaysia and 1962-1990 in Sarawak.
Among those present at the media conference yesterday was State Commissioner of Police SDCP Dato’ Wira Muhammad Sabtu Osman.