VETERANS of the armed forces are celebrating after the Ministry of Defence ruled medals from an East Asia campaign can be worn.

Winchester MP Steve Brine was one of a group of MP’s who urged the MoD to allow the King of Malaysia’s medal to be displayed.

The ‘Pingat Jasa Malaysia’ award was commissioned for Commonwealth servicemen who fought against Indonesian forces in Borneo and Malaysia between 1957-1966 but successive British governments have refused to accept the medal.

More than 500 soldiers died in the conflict and veterans have been campaigning for years to wear the medal, particularly since 2006 when the government accepted the accolade but said it could not be worn.

Mr Brine said: "I very much welcome this announcement, and pay tribute to Terry Revell here in Winchester who has really kept up the fight on this. I am delighted that veterans such as Terry will now be allowed to wear the medal, unrestricted and on all occasions.

“I am very aware that 519 men were killed in the campaign, and I know that the wearing of the medal is as much in memory for fallen comrades as anything else."

Veterans who have the medal are able to wear it in public from November 2011.