I picked this story Call to recognise the nation's highest gallantry award and found this to be inspiring and timely. It's great to know there are (were, in some cases) heros in Malaysia. These people sacrificed themselves beyond the call of duty - for the country serving beyond race and religion. They were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), Malaysia's highest gallantry award.
Less then 20 people ever received this award. They do not get any honorific like Tun, Tan Sri, Datuk.....etc. The are just called by their names for who they are - heros! Let's go tell our children about them. To these brave Malaysians, and many more unsung heros, I salute you!
Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP)- Warrant Officer 2 Lenggu anak China 1971
- Even though the enemy outnumbered the Security Forces, and having managed to destroy the forward boat, the fighting spirit of Warrant Officer 2 Lenggu anak China was not affected. In fact, it had the opposite effect. With determination and a very high spirit, in the highest traditions of the Ranger Corps, he launched a determined assault single handedly against the enemy. He managed to kill 4 of the enemy. In this action, Warrant Officer Lenggu anak China fell beside the enemy he had killed.
- Kiong was an Inspector with the Special Branch in Ipoh. In 1981, he was part of several operations to cripple communist activities during the communist insurgency between 1966 and 1989. This involved infiltrating the organisation, operating in the jungle, capturing the terrorists alive as well as being involved in direct confrontations with them. He was conferred the SP on June 1, 1983. Kiong was also awarded Perak's highest bravery award in 1988 for three other operations. He retired as a Superintendent of Police in 1997.
- Deputy Superintendent Sia Boon Chee
- Sia was an Inspector with the Special Branch in Ipoh and was part of the same operations to fight the communist threat. These operations required him to gather intelligence by infiltrating enemy lines, operating in thick jungle, capturing terrorists alive and engaging them in direct battle. He was awarded the SP on June 1, 1983. He retired with the rank of DSP in 1994. He read law the following year and is currently a practicing lawyer.
- Captain Mohana Chandran al Velayuthan (alternate spellings: Mohana, Velaythan, Mohanachandran Velayutham)
- Captain Chandran received his award for actions on 3 June 1971. Leading a unit of ten men of the 4th Battalion Royal Rangers on a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of the Ulu Kinta forest (Perak), he happened upon a group of communist insurgents numbering approximately 40 men. This occurred on the tenth day of their mission and 4 hours after they had located the first enemy tracks. Coming under murderous fire after detection by an enemy sentry Captain Chandran rallied his squad and advanced on the enemy. The encounter with the well-entrenched enemy led to the death of Captain Chandran at the age of 27 and he was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa.
- Captain Chandran was an alum of Royal Military College. Attached to Alpha company and remembered by his batchmate as V.M. Chandran and later in the army as Ray Chandran. He is from the 1963-1964 batch.
- Warrant Officer 1 (901738) Kanang anak Langkau
- Kanang anak Langkau of Simanggang, Sarawak was a Malaysian Ranger from the 8th Battalion Royal Rangers (now known as the 8th Paras) is the first and only living recipient of both the "Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa" and the "Pingat Gagah Berani." He is the first and only person thus far to have received two gallantry awards in the Malaysian Armed forces.
- He joined the service with the Sarawak Rangers as an Iban Tracker on the 21 April 1962. He was absorbed into the Malaysian Rangers when Malaysia was proclaimed on the 16 September 1963. He retired as a Warrant Officer 1 after 21 years in the service.
- Following the death of one soldier in the Tanah Hitam area of Perak in enagagement with communists on the 8th February 1980 the Unit Combat Intelligence Squad (UCIS) of 8th Battalion Royal Rangers under the leadership of Kanang anak Langkau was tasked to seek and destroy the group. They tracked the enemy over 11 days on terrain familiar to the enemy. On the evening 19th February 1980 at around 1500 hours his platoon managed to estimate the location of the enemy, who were close by.
- Unfortunately, Kanang's group was mistaken as they were already within the enemy's perimeter, which they realised when they found a communications cord connecting the sentry outpost to the main force. The cord was usually connected to a bush or empty cans so that a sentry could use it to alert the main force of intruders.
- Kanang, 8 metres from the enemy sentry position, launched an attack to his right flank. It then became apparent that the main force lay to the left. They assaulted the left and routed the enemy taking one casualty and killing five communists. One soldier was seriously wounded and Kanang himself took three rounds but survived and eventually returned to active duty. Kanang anak Langkau was conferred the "Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa" for valour in decimating the enemy on 3 June 1981.
- Jalil Ibrahim - Civilian (an alum of Royal Military College, Year 1964-65, Hotel Company)
- Not many remember the bespectacled former student of the Royal Military College who was killed in Hong Kong in July 1983 while investigating a case involving the fraudulent award of RM2.5 billion (then) in loans by Bumiputra Finance Berhad to the Carrian Group helmed by Malaysian businessman George Tan.
- To date, he is the only civilian to receive the award.
- Mat Aznan Awang - killed in action during the Battle of Mogadishu under the United Nations' banner.
Source & more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seri_Pahlawan_Gagah_Perkasa and http://www.malaysianmonarchy.org.my/portal_bi/rk6/rk6a.php?id=rk6_18
(Random Thoughts)
3 comments:
if only this type of discussion that matters most in malaysia's media and people, to remind them of what the country is now; peace and freedom to do whatever they want; all thanks to these HEROES...see the list, they have the names of MALAYSIAN, not a Malay, nor a Chinese, or Indian..all i see is Malaysian names...you have good spirit to start this thread, so keep on doing it to remind others where they have forgotten...
The trouble with our people is that we know so little about our National War Heroes as mentioned above artical. We don't even know our country's gallantry medals like Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa which is equivalent to the British Victoria Cross(VC) and the USA Medal of Honor(MOH). Both of which were being given prominence by their respective countries and known throughout the world. Our country's Govt officials lacking in knowledge and protocol some of whom have not even heard of it. What more members of the public? Many of our local students and teachers also have not acquired such general knowledge about our gallantry medals and who are our war heroes simply because the subject of our rich national history has no mentioned of it. The wars our country had fought and won were never mentioned. So, now who is at fault? So, how do we the younger generation appreciate the peace and prosperity achieved by those who fought so hard for it? To remind the younger generation of our country's achievement the Govt of the day must play their role to instil patriotism,pride and knowledge through the Information Dept, schools, Ministries and Govt agencies. Otherwise everything including our history will just fade away and forgotten. We don't even have our own "Arlington Cemetery' like what the US have. So, how and where do we pay respect to our own National War Heroes? The only thing I feel is that, there is very much lacking in recognition of our heroes on a national scale.
Why are the present day politicians
haggling over who are the superior race, color and religion and what not.We should be great full and thank full to our country's security forces
who fought the communist menace and brought peace and prosperity to the people. When I went into battle fighting the communist insurgents during the 2nd Emergency from 1968-1989 I never thought of myself as a Chinese, Malay or Indian for that matter. I was fighting to rid the communist elements from taking hold of our existing constitutional Government and turning it into a communist system not acceptable by the people. I did'nt care whether the communist consisted of what race, colour or religion. They are the enemy and that is all that matters. My allegiance is to King and country I love. I hope my small contribution in my armed-struggle against the communist insurgency would not be in vain. I appeal to all politicians to stop this stupid squabbling of race, colour and religion and to sit down to discuss how to go forward to building a united nation of Malaysians.
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