I think the most bizarre story I read was the one where a senior police officer in Kelantan made a police report because he discovered his 14-year-old daughter was engaging in sex acts with a teenage boy, and it was recorded on her handphone.

Apparently, making the report was considered brave.

‘Parti yeye’ not the main issue

Are there serious issues with this “parti yeye”? Of course. There is always a possibility that compromising information could be gathered during these parties.

But seeing how the top military brass are involved in all manner of pecuniary criminal enterprises, it would be far easier for foreign intelligence services, criminal enterprises, and yes, even political operatives, to put the squeeze on them rather than low-ranking officers and service personnel getting their jollies off.

And, of course, pressuring junior officers to procure escorts for senior officers not only damages morale but also reeks of the feudalistic mentality that has seeped into the armed forces after decades of systemic political dysfunction.

Let’s be honest, when it comes to the average grunt in the state security apparatus, they are being screwed all the time.

Soldiers frequently have to pay for stuff out of their own pockets, our army bases are substandard because of all the leakages, and service personnel utilise substandard equipment with the added hazard of poor maintenance.

Training leaves much to be desired, with deaths reported in nearly every branch of the armed forces due to either bullying or training without the requisite safety parameters.

And let us not even talk about how many veterans are living rough after service. There is a case going on right now about the restructuring of pension schemes, but just four years ago, veterans were protesting at the national monument because of the screwed-up pension policies of successive Malaysian governments.

While all this is going on, very senior officers in the armed forces are getting rich. Very rich. At the same time, the average grunt gets screwed by racial and religious indoctrination.

Morale in the doldrums

I have spoken to many young people in the armed services, and the major theme I have noticed is that they do not have pride in what they are doing. Who can blame them?

Folks talk about the corruption that goes on in the armed forces, but what gets lost in all the talk is that money and resources, which were supposed to go to the soldiers, get siphoned away. 

When that happens, their standard of living is affected, which leads to their sense of professionalism being affected, too.

I honestly believe that when a senior officer organises these parties, he is narcotising some poor dupes with liquor and sex to ensure some sort of loyalty because they sure as hell do not feel loyal to the organisation tasked with defending the realm.

And please do not bring even more religion into this. Do you really think that an outfit like the Armed Forces Islamic Services Corps (Kagat) is afraid to impose sanctions on senior officers?

Because there is no transparency or independent oversight, how can any rational person be sure that this religious apparatus or personnel from it are not involved in such activity?

Religious organisations, like every other public body in Malaysia, have been mired in corruption scandals.

Remember the Tabung Haji scandal in 2018? Did you see PAS and Umno rallying against that as they did for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd)?

As reported in the press, Amanah leader Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad said, “the losses suffered by Tabung Haji and other public institutions were tragedies for poor Malays and Muslims caused by the abuse of power by other Malays and Muslims.”

It’s all a distraction

So, really, all these “yeye” parties are a distraction from the real issue facing the armed services. I know folks are going to get angry, but if “yeye” parties were the most illicit thing going on in our army, I could live with that.

Remember when Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, when he was defence minister, said that non-Malays lacked the patriotic spirit, which was why there was low enrolment in the armed forces?

He said, “Maybe it is the fear of tough military discipline, low pay compared to private jobs or no encouragement from families.”

Of course, non-Malays took offence when he said this, as they rightly should, but Zahid is the poster child for all that is screwed up in the military apparatus.

He was a defence minister, and you better believe the cartels were operating at that time, who, later in his political career, was charged with corruption and then was given a get-out-of-jail card.

The average schmuck, if he is lucky, gets his “parti yeye”.