Nearly 70% army veterans choose entrepreneurship as second career, says Adly

TEMERLOH: Almost 70 per cent of the 5,000 veterans of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) who retire each year choose to venture into entrepreneurship, said Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari.

He said the ministry remains committed to supporting veterans in securing second careers through various entrepreneurial schemes and programmes.

“At the Defence Ministry level, we have a specific programme for veteran entrepreneurs, namely the Malaysian Armed Forces Veteran Entrepreneur Empowerment Programme (Puvet ATM), carried out in collaboration with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW).

“The programme provides a grant of almost RM1mil per year,” he told reporters this at a “Peduli Veteran Madani” programme in Kampung Pangsenam here Tuesday (Sept 30).

In conjunction with the event, Adly also handed over fish food and patin and tilapia fry to ATM veterans Norizan Johari, 47, and Mohd Zaid Kamarul Ismail, 40, both of whom are now cage fish farming entrepreneurs.

In addition to entrepreneurship, he said the ministry also provides transition training through the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (Perhebat), which equips retiring personnel with skills in fields such as agriculture, automotive, and other industries.

“The transition training provided to veterans is between six and 18 months, depending on the chosen field of expertise, and the veterans can choose training in various sectors, including agriculture, automotive and other industrial fields in preparation for a second career.

“The ministry will continue to assist them throughout their lives, whether in terms of economy, welfare or health,” he said. – Bernama