Traitorous politicians, worst then communist infiltrators of bygone times.

As we count down to the polls come 19 November, we veterans want to share our concerns and educate the younger generation, who may not be familiar with the price we and good governance paid for carving a peaceful nation.

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) handed over a peaceful country to the government in 1989. There was so much destruction as dozens of MAF & RMP personnel sacrificed their lives and limbs, leading to the surrender of the Parti Kommunis Malaya (PKM) ultimately.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Army lost a lot of equipment during the insurgency as the PKM wreaked havoc. The RMP was not spared either.

Helicopters were shot at; trucks and armoured vehicles were blasted and destroyed, and even the National Monument was damaged.

Our country lost millions of ringgit worth of defense equipment then. But it was lost in defending our nation from our enemy.

The purpose of buying and using the defense equipment was to protect the sovereignty of the country and its population – to win peace and stability.

However, today we have governments and its minister who are causing serious damage to our nation’s inventory of defense equipment and arsenal, albeit differently. The damage is by way of the total disappearance of paid-for inventories.

This is worst than the damage caused by the communists during the insurgency.

During these past post-insurgency decades, millions of substandard items and equipment had been dished out to the Malaysian Armed Forces. The list will be too long to mention here. All those involved will know who they are.

To say the least, they have compromised the security of our nation. They have through their failures and questionable actions placed the lives of our security forces at risk that cannot be justified.

And by compromising the strength and capability of our defense they have placed the lives of every Malaysian at risk ultimately.

Hence, all those who had failed in their Call of Duty vis-à-vis the non-delivery of essential defense inventories to the tune of billions of ringgit including even having had a hand in the securing of related equipment that fall short of standards should be deemed as traitors. Who does not know that ships and helicopters were bought but not delivered?

We veterans who have fought the communists then will tell you without mincing our words and without exaggeration that should there be any foreign infiltration now and loss of lives, those who had a hand in the corruption and scandals relating to defense equipment purchases will have blood on their hands.

How are we soldiers who are in service supposed to protect our beloved nation when the fighting tools are not there and what is given to us is of questionable quality? Pray tell us. As we march to the polls therefore, there is every reason to feel angry and betrayed. There is no excuse, no explanation, and certainly no justification whatsoever when those in power failed an entire nation in this regard. Besides robbing the country they have traitorously left our security forces in a vulnerable corner and ill-equipped the forces to fight and defend our nation.

Think wisely when you vote on the 19th of November. You and I know who are the traitors who should not be voted in, especially those who keep promising us "dalam Kajian".

Lt Col Hardial Singh Dhaliwal (Rtd) Subang