Tamparuli Hero RMD 2nd Renjer Royal Army ( 1964 - 1976 )
In the middle of Confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia, the rebellion of comunist party in Malaysia is still active during the ends of emergency whereby there are a lot of youngster from Tamparuli and Kiulu join the Army Department of Malaysia to fight against the enemy of the nation. My father was one of the youngster who join the Army to fight the Indonesian Commando (elite soldier) and the Communist Rebel in 1965 till 1976. My Father, Corpral George Gutok joined the Royal Army in March 1965 and given a six months training at Ramilis Lain Camp, Ipoh Perak and after that he was stationed at Camp Tanjung Batu in Tawau till December 1966. During his time there, there is no big major fighting happen only a small and routine operation whereby his platoon receiving the surrenderer of Indonesian Militia send by President Sukarno who want to boycott the Malaysian establishment. This Confrontation is ended by the overthrow of President Sukarno by General Suharto in 1966.
I wrote this story because I want to share with all of Tamparuli and Kiulu resident that we are willing to sacrifice our self for the good of our beloved Malaysian Nation. My father serve under 2nd Renjer Royal Army commanded by the British Commonwealth Officer which happen my father did not remember the General name anymore. After serving in Tanjung Batu , Tawau for more than a year, my father was transfer back to Kuala Kubu Baru Selangor for one and half year. There my father was being trained as Logistic Mortar Scout and many more training given by the Royal Army. After the confrontation ended between Malaysia and Indonesia the British Commonwealth left the country and the 2nd Renjer Division is put under control of Royal Malaysian Army - Ground Forces. In the middle of 1967 My father was send to Camp Lundu, Sarawak and stationed at Batang Air whereby his join more than one hundred of operation to evacuate the people and fight the Sarawak Communist Party under Captain Ling in Batang Air, Lundu and at the Malaysian and Indonesian border. My father stay in Lundu Camp for two year with a sad story where he lost a number of friend died in the hand of the Communist Rebel.
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| My father is standing third from left |
One of the sad story was, one fine morning a platoon of 2nd Renjer RMD are traveling from Lundu Camp to distribute a Ration to the other platoon station 100km from the main base camp ambushed by the Communist rebel which ended 15 lives of 2nd Renjer RMD army in the hand of the Communist Rebel. My farther friends Sargent Basri from Peninsular Malaysia, Corpral Salman and Renjer Ugging from Kuala Penyu died on the spot. 12 more his friend also died from the bullet of the cruel Communist Militia. He said, the Communist Militia used their rifle butt to crack the head of each platooner in the 2nd Renjer Army. My father got the news whereby the Sargent, Corporal, Driver and Signal Man was kill on the spot and their rushed to the place but nothing left only the dead and a flags left by the Communist Militia saying "Hancurkan Kerajaan Tun Razak". Other story he told me that they have an operation in Batang Air where they kill four communist militia at the village while taking foods from the villager. The Intelligence Army cor got the information from the villager that there are a lot of Communist Activity at Batang Air and my father platoon, was order to kill all the communist there. 1st Platoon ( 2nd Renjer ) was order to stay behind to make a parameter to surround so that the Communist Militia cannot leave the area while the 2nd Platoon was order to attack,shoot and kill. While the 2nd platoon are aproaching the house which believed that the Communist soldier was having their suffer, a single Communist Militia sentry open fire and injured one soldier in return the 2nd Platoon open fire and the PKM sentry died instantly by the rapid fire. The other three was killed while trying to leave the house. The commanding officer of this operation is Captain Sabdin. The Dead Communist Militia was display for the public at the Police Station in Batang Air for three days waiting to be claimed by his relative and as a reminder for The Communist Party to put down their weapon. My father was granted a medal, PPA and PPM which stand for " Pingat Perkhidmatan Malaysia" for his act during the enggagement.
Pingat Perkhidmatan Am (P.P.A.)
Pingat Perkhidmatan Am merupakan pingat yang dikurniakan kepada anggota tetap Angkatan Tentera Persekutuan dan Pasukan Perkhidmatan Beruniform. Kurniaan dibuat bagi mengiktiraf dan menghargai khidmat lama dan kelakuan yang terpuji.
Pingat Perkhidmatan Am mengandungi pingat yang diperbuat daripada perak. Ia berbentuk bulat dan berukuran 1 3/8 inci di garis pusatnya. Di sebelah hadapan di permukaannya terdapat Jata Persekutuan manakala di sebelah belakangnya pula terdapat kata-kata KERANA PERKHIDMATAN AM. Ia dilingkungi dengan pelepah daun palas. Pingat ini tergantung pada sebuah reben. Reben ini berlatar warna merah dan berjalur kuning di tengah-tengah. Di sebelah kiri dan kanan jalur kuning ini terdapat jalur-jalur hitam dan putih. Syarat-syarat kelayakan untuk menerima Pingat Perkhidmatan Am ini terkandung dalam peraturan-peraturan yang ditentukan oleh pihak Kementerian Pertahanan. Pingat ini dizahirkan pada 29 Julai 1960 dan diwartakan pada 11 Ogos 1960.
Pingat Perkhidmatan Setia (P.P.Malaysia.)
(Loyal Service Medal)
The Pingat Perkhidmatan Malaysia is awarded to the Regular Armed Forces and the Uniformed Services as a recognition and appreciation of their long service and good conduct .
The Loyal Service Medal is made of bronze. It is round and has a radius of 1 3/8 inches. On the surface are two crossed spears. On top of the two spears is the Malaysian Royal Crown. The Crown is surrounded by two laurel leaves (palas design). The back of the badge is inscribed with the words PERKHIDMATAN SETIA. The badge suspends from a ribbon which has two red stripes with blue stripes on both the edges. The conditions of qualifications for this award are contained in the regulations set by the Ministry of Defence. The Pingat Perkhidmatan Setia was instituted on 29 July 1960 and gazetted on 11 August 1960.
In early age, My father got his education at SK Kiulu Tuaran and Seven Day Advenist Missionary School in Tamparuli Sabah. He join the Army because he wanted to show the country that he also can contribute to the nation. Many more his friend and other villager join him to support the government. My father was stationed back to Kem Lokawi Sabah and there he meet my mother and they got married in the summer of 1969. In 1970 my father stationed back to Sungai Petani Camp and after that to Nation Camp in Singapore in 1972. In 1973 my father was sent again to Camp Kuala Besi until his contract end in 1975. My father serve another one more year as reserve soldier in 7th Renjer Malaysian Royal Army Division and fully off duty in December 1976. That is one of the Army Veteran from Tamparuli Sabah and his story about his experience in the Royal Malaysian Army.
List Of Army Veteran from Tamparuli 1964 - 1986
1. Sargent Rambangan - Kiulu (RMD)
2. Sargent Xavier Francis - Kg Kionsom Baru (TUDM)
3. Corporal George Gutok - Kg Kionsom Baru Tamparuli (RMD)
4. L/Corp Guntalib Kumpat- Kiulu
5. Renjer Taisin Bangkuai - Malangan Kiulu
6. Renjer Sunggam Solidau - Tombongon Kiulu
7. Renjer Maklus Goliban Lakui - Malangan Kiulu
8. Renjer Rasipin Kalaban - kg Kionsom Baru Tamparuli
Serve in 2nd renjer RMD, TUDM and 6th and 7th Renjer Division.
There are many more Veteran from Tamparuli, Tuaran and Kiulu and I hope that you guys out there can send me your story by e-mail to Tamparulisabah@gmail.com. Share your picture and your story at Tamparuli Sabah website.
Story by: Harry George
Special thanks to : Corporal (R) George Gutok
Picture : George Gutok
New Information.... Daily Express Online: 18 September 2011
Brave Sabahans who fought the Reds
By: Sherell Ann Jeffrey
THE first batch of Sabahans who served in the Malaysian Armed Forces as part of the Sabah Ranger unit were also involved in tracking down communists, both along the Thai border and in Sarawak.
In fact, Capt (rtd) Abdullah Yusof, who was 23 when he joined the Rangers in 1963, remembers it like it just happened yesterday.
Now in his 70s, Abdullah said he and two other Sabahan officers serving in the ranger regiment - Major Sabdin Ghani and Capt Boniface Jingulam - were ordered to hunt down the communists responsible for ambushing and killing 15 members of the Ranger Seven unit who were on their way back from Sik Guruh, known as Mong Gajah.
All three were posted to the newly-formed Ranger Seven regiment based in Kluang Camp Johor.
"It was in 1970 and the unlucky team was headed back to Sungai Petani when they were ambushed by communists.
"Me and the other two Sabahan officers were assigned to track them down.
However, we were unsuccessful because the communists managed to escape across the Thailand border," he said.
But luck was on their side on another occasion when the Ranger Seven unit was sent to Lundu Sarawak for operational duty and another 15 Malaysian soldiers were killed - also in an ambush.
This was in early 1972. "We suffered the worst casualties when some 30 communists ambushed our convoy comprising office clerks and food transporters on the way back from sending supplies to our post in Biawak, Indonesia.
The regiment lost 15 men and several were seriously wounded.
We also lost weapons, and radio set. It was the first time the Malaysian Armed Forces lost a radio set this way.
He said the next day, they were assigned to track down the communists but three weeks passed without any results.
Abdullah said tracking down communists can be complicated because they sometimes disguised themselves as rangers in order to hoodwink the people.
"When they enter the villages for food supplies, the villagers couldn't tell if they were communists or rangers because of the uniform.
"The problem was made worse by the fact that both the rangers and the communists had various ethnic races as members like Iban and Chinese.
"Three weeks after the ambush, the regiment received information that a group of communists will move at night from Kg Perian to the main road towards Kg Bokak. At 11pm the commanding officer assigned us to track and ambush the terrorists. There were 20 of us.
"At midnight, we managed to ambush the communists killing two terrorists during the attack.
We also managed to retrieve the radio set and several weapons."
Because of this, Abdullah was awarded the "Honorary Ahli Bintang Sarawak" by the Sarawak Government.
We also managed to kill two communists in Lundu District," he said.
Abdullah said life as a ranger was really challenging yet enjoyable.
Sometimes they are required to sleep in the jungle for weeks, sometimes for a month.
"We have permanent base camps built along the border.
These are equipped with all the necessary facilitiesÉwe even had a volley ball court.
"Its only when we stay in the jungle that we need to ration our food.
What we usually ate was baked beans from the tin, chicken or lamb curry.
But in those days, canned food was really heavy. One pack for five days in the jungle could weigh up to five kilos.
"We will be assigned to go to a certain spot to get new food supply, which will be sent by helicopter.
We usually carry food supplies enough for a week" he said.
Another danger they had to contend with were traps laid by the communists in the jungle.
He said the use of hidden traps was common during those days. These usually comprised empty tins filled with explosives, which could explode as far as 200 feet.
"The traps are commonly set near big trees because it is human nature to instinctively hide behind big trees when attacked."
Abdullah said the departing colonial administration formed two battalion ranger regiments called Sarawak Ranger One (Sarawak 1st Ranger) and Sabah Ranger Two (Sabah 2nd Ranger) in conjunction with the formation of Malaysia in 1963. It was in August that year, barely a month before the formation of the new Federation comprising Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya.
The British decided to form a ranger regiment for both these States comprising some 600 native recruits.
The officer in charge of recruiting the Sabahans was Major Plain and staff of the British army.
Major Plain and his staff went all over Sabah and managed to enlist 120 young Sabahans for the first intake which had all races, including a few Chinese.
The 2nd Ranger battalion was formally set up at Ulu Tiram camp in Johor and most of the senior officers were drawn from the British army and Royal Malaysian Regiment.
He said both the Ranger battalions were commanded by Col Welsted while the Commanding Officer for the 2nd Rangers was Lt Col Wood MC.
The group then moved to the Gurkha training centre at Sungai Petani.
In 1965, at the time of Singapore's separation from the new-formed Federation.
The British government handed both Sarawak One and Sabah Two Rangers to Malaysia and some 160 Sabahan youths that choose to enrol in the Malaysian Armed Forces came to take the Oath of Allegiance to the nation.
It was then that the Sabah Ranger Two was renamed Ranger Seven.
The first Sabahan officer commissioned was Maj (B) Sabdin Ghani in 1964, followed in 1965 by Lt Col Chin Kee Fong @ Johan Chin, Abdullah Hj Yusof, Kapt (B) Terence Sthalman, Kapt (B) Boniface Jingulam and Kapt (B) George Lai from Tuaran.
Before joining the Rangers, Abdullah was telephone operator based in Queen Elizabeth Hospital and later was posted to work as a telephone technician in Karamunsing in 1961.
"When I heard of the recruiting exercise in 1963, I immediately resigned from my job and joined.
We were offered a salary of RM60 a month at that time.
"All our essentials were provided for by the Navy, Army Airforce Institution (NAAFI) including shoes, clothes, food, even the cigarettes were given free once a week. The salary I got was usually spent on things like bread."
Abdullah, who served as a ranger for 14 years, said among the first Sabahan soldiers to be killed directly or indirectly due to conflict was Ranger Mohd from Tuaran, who was killed by mortar bomb in Kg Mentadak, Pulau Sebatik.
He said the first Sabahan non-conflict casualty was Ranger Albert Matanjang from Penampang who drowned during a river crossing exercise at Sg Jenang Kedah in 1964.
He said many Sabahans joined the rangers in 1963 but his batch comprised the first Sabahans to join the Malaysian Armed Forces.
"But, sadly, a majority of us who served in those days did not receive any form of recognition from the State Government until today.
"I hope the State government would do a survey on those who served the country in the 60s.
We have an Ex-Servicemen Association of Malaysia but most of them are not the original members from the 60s," he said, adding they plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary in conjunction with the formation of the Rangers in Malaysia.
Charlie Kwan now also in his 70s and another former Ranger, joined the force in 1963 when he was 22.
"At that time it was the Indonesian confrontation. I was looking for a job and thought I might as well join the army and fight to defend my country," Kwan said.
"I became a rifle man in 1965 but in 1966 I was assigned to work in the headquarters because I could speak and write English well.
My job was to manage the salary. Those days, salary was paid by cash and we will go around to the operation sites in trucks to distribute the money," he said.
Thanks for reading.
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In up comming events Papier Machee will be perfoming at Dewan Tun Hamdan Tamparuli Sabah on 24th till 27th November 2010 for Bamboo Music Festival. This Music Bamboo festival will be launched by YB Datuk Jahid Jahim. This festival is aiming to get more tourist comming to Tamparuli town. Papier Mache already have serve the public by giving charity show and I thinks more the 50 times already. The Band launch their first debut album at City Mall last year and during that time more than 500 copies of their album succesfully sold.
