Its chief General Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor said the ATM did not support any political party and that his troops were ready to serve the people and the government of the day.
“It is in the soul of any army personnel, including the veterans, from the moment he/she is born up till their death – their loyalty to the king and country never fades. This is clearly shown through the sacrifice of those who are willing to die for their country,” he said.
The Borneo Post quoted him as saying this at a press conference in Kuching yesterday following a military event at the First Infantry Division Headquarters in Muara Tuang camp. Also present were Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg and Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
His assurance was welcomed by DAP, although the party’s parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said it was “troubling” that Raja Mohamed Affandi had taken “a week to make such a simple and straightforward clarification”.
It was reported on March 31 that Raja Mohamed Affandi had, in a speech, allegedly urged his troops and the police to be grateful and loyal to the government led by Prime Minister Najib Razak as Najib had given special attention to the security forces’ needs.
Lim said: “If Malaysia is to mature to become a normal democracy where voters can peacefully and democratically change the government at the ballot box in a general election, it is all the more important that the armed forces make it indisputably clear that they are loyal to the king and country, and not to any particular political party or any particular prime minister, especially as the country is in the throes of the 14th general election.”
Lim also said those who claimed that the Malays would suffer if Umno were to be defeated in GE14 were indulging in irresponsible politicking and spreading fear and falsehood.
“Are Umno leaders prepared to come out openly and publicly and declare that even if Umno loses in the 14th general election, the Malays will not perish in Malaysia?”
He added that a Pakatan Harapan government in Putrajaya would do its utmost to demonstrate that under its administration, all Malaysians regardless of race would be better looked after.