KUANTAN: A career in the armed forces no longer means living on a small salary and raising a family in wooden barracks or squatter homes.

Corporal Abidin Samid from Tumpat, Kelantan said things had improved following their salary hike last May.

His colleague Corporal Cassedy Tuming, 27, of Keningau, Sabah, agreed.

"I am getting married soon and plan to bring my wife here as life in this camp is quite good."

Abidin and Cassedy were among 1,000 armed forces personnel who were at a gathering at the Batu Sepuluh Camp here yesterday, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Najib, who is also the defence minister, said the BN-led government had taken all necessary measures to meet the needs of military personnel and their families.

The pay rise of between nine per cent and 42 per cent last year had also surprised many.

He said the government had approved 38 housing projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

The projects, costing more than RM1.6 billion, include the construction of 10,000 units of homes with 7,000 in the Klang Valley. -- By T. N. Alagesh

source: The New Straits Times