As you may be aware, I have recently added A Kadir Jasin's blog (The Scribe) to my blogroll to widen the availability of political views. Pak Kadir held various high level management posts in the UMNO controlled news media.
I had indirectly crossed swords with him over at the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) website in March 2010 when it carried his article I wish to remain a Malay. Then I decided to answer him with my I wish to remain a Malaysian wakakaka.
There's no denying he's a pro UMNO blogger, and I respect his political preference.
But when I read his latest post titled Sabah Incursion: Hang the traitors (which incidentally has been withdrawn, probably because Anwar is suing certain news media and blogs controlled by or pro UMNO, wakakaka), I was terribly disappointed by Pak Kadir's tone in the opening paragraphs of his blog post, which stated:
As has always been the case, when we send our policemen and soldiers into battle and are killed or injured, the chances are they are Melayus and Bumiputeras.
Perhaps there is wisdom in getting more Chinese and Indians to join the armed forces so that they too can die for one Malaysia.
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I would like to draw your and especially his attention to the huge sacrifices Chinese Malaysians have made for their country while serving in the Royal Malaysian Police Force.
But before I come to that, it may be worthwhile to ask ourselves why in the recent tragedy in the Lahad Datu and Semporna areas in eastern Sabah, there has been no Chinese police death.
Not that I wish for Chinese death or for that matter, any Malaysian deaths, but we, especially Pak Kadir, must be honest and ask ourselves why the casualties have been confined to the Malay policemen.
But then Pak Kadir answered that himself when he suggested that “Perhaps there is wisdom in getting more Chinese and Indians to join the armed forces so that they too can die for one Malaysia” but in a regretful tone that sounds caustic, unfair and indeed morbid.
Alright then, who’s to be blamed for the Malays currently bearing all the greatest sacrifice to their nation?
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Surely not the Chinese for in 'less divisive' days we depended heavily (though not solely) on mainly Chinese policemen (and women) in the Special Branch to win our war against the insurrection of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM).
Then the head of the SB Division (a two-star bloke) was always a Chinese but which practice ended together with the end of the Malaysian Emergency (probably because the Chinese were no longer required after the defeat of the MCP).
Yes, the sad fact today is that both the Police and Armed Forces (and the Malaysian Civil Services) have not been earnest or sincere in recruiting non-Malays as they used to do in the earlier 'less divisive' days. We sense we the Chinese and Indian Malaysians (other than a token few for window dressing) aren't welcomed in these institutions.
But to answer Pak Kadir's seeming jeer, we should remember and I would encourage him to be decent and acknowledge his recognition of our Chinese Police heroes of yesteryears, stalwarts such as:
Two other Special Branch police officers who are still alive today were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), namely SP Paul Kiong and DSP Sia Boon Chee.
Without exaggeration, I would consider these two officers’ contributions (presumably still under secret classification) as pivotal to the defeat of the communist terrorist movement in Peninsula Malaysia.
Thus 5 Chinese police officers were awarded the nation's highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), with two posthumously. I hope Pak Kadir takes note of this.
Then there were Chinese in the Armed Forces who showed their loyalty to their nation by making the ultimate sacrifices, TUDM officers like the late Lt Choo Yoke Boo and the late Lt Chang Tatt Min who were both awarded the Panglima (or Pingat) Gagah Berani (PGB) posthumously. It's said that the PGB is next in gallantry honours to the SP.
One Ranger officer, 2nd Lt David Fu Chee Ming who I believe is still alive today, was also awarded the PGB.
2nd Lt David Fu was the Platoon Commander of 8th Platoon of C Company, 4th Battalion Royal Rangers who was tasked and placed in the Tanah Hitam area of Perak to track and destroy the enemy in his sector of operation. This was the citation for his award of the Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB):
On the 27th August 1970, his platoon of 24 men made contact with a group of about 70 enemy combatants. The enemy unknowingly had entered his sector. Thus started a heavy and intensive battle lasting 7 hours. Under his unwavering leadership, the men fought on, successfully killed 4 of the enemy. His patrol did not suffer any casualties.
For his outstanding gallantry and bravery in the finest traditions of the Ranger Corps he was bestowed with the Pingat Gagah Berani, by the King.
He left after exemplary service as a Captain.
Then there was Captain Mohana Chandran al Velayuthan, like 2nd Lt David Fu also of 4th Battalion Royal Rangers.
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Captain Chandran was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) on 3 June 1971.
His citation for the SP read:
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 CT 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.
Alas, Pak Kadir has not been unlike Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, who on 09 Nov 2010, as to be expected for the archetypical UMNO ‘patriots’, stated in response to a question in Parliament that the low number of Chinese and Indian recruits in the military could be due to the Chinese and Indians [being] 'not patriotic enough'.
Zahid Hamidi, once a very close ally of Anwar Ibrahim and the man who accused Dr Mahathir of corruption and cronyism in an alleged impatient move by the Anwar faction in UMNO to nudge then-PM Dr M out for Anwar’s final ascendancy to the PM’s post, abandoned his allegiance to Anwar after the former DPM was ejected from UMNO, to pay loyalty to Dr Mahathir.
He is hardly an appropriate person to talk about patriotism or loyalty.
In fact, given his disloyalty to initially his (then) party president Dr Mahathir and then his mentor and 'friend' Anwar Ibrahim, he should be the last person in UMNO to ever moralise about loyalty.
I wonder where were these pro UMNO and UMNO Malay 'patriots', people like Pak Kadir and Zahid Hamidi, when the above Chinese Malaysians made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, Malaysia?
As Aldous Huxley informed us: "One of the great attractions of patriotism - it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what's more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous."
Note: My letter to Malaysiakini on same topic though more brief has been published less than an hour ago, as Chinese M'sians, too, have died for one Malaysia
There's no denying he's a pro UMNO blogger, and I respect his political preference.
But when I read his latest post titled Sabah Incursion: Hang the traitors (which incidentally has been withdrawn, probably because Anwar is suing certain news media and blogs controlled by or pro UMNO, wakakaka), I was terribly disappointed by Pak Kadir's tone in the opening paragraphs of his blog post, which stated:
As has always been the case, when we send our policemen and soldiers into battle and are killed or injured, the chances are they are Melayus and Bumiputeras.
Perhaps there is wisdom in getting more Chinese and Indians to join the armed forces so that they too can die for one Malaysia.
I would like to draw your and especially his attention to the huge sacrifices Chinese Malaysians have made for their country while serving in the Royal Malaysian Police Force.
But before I come to that, it may be worthwhile to ask ourselves why in the recent tragedy in the Lahad Datu and Semporna areas in eastern Sabah, there has been no Chinese police death.
Not that I wish for Chinese death or for that matter, any Malaysian deaths, but we, especially Pak Kadir, must be honest and ask ourselves why the casualties have been confined to the Malay policemen.
But then Pak Kadir answered that himself when he suggested that “Perhaps there is wisdom in getting more Chinese and Indians to join the armed forces so that they too can die for one Malaysia” but in a regretful tone that sounds caustic, unfair and indeed morbid.
Alright then, who’s to be blamed for the Malays currently bearing all the greatest sacrifice to their nation?
Surely not the Chinese for in 'less divisive' days we depended heavily (though not solely) on mainly Chinese policemen (and women) in the Special Branch to win our war against the insurrection of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM).
Then the head of the SB Division (a two-star bloke) was always a Chinese but which practice ended together with the end of the Malaysian Emergency (probably because the Chinese were no longer required after the defeat of the MCP).
Yes, the sad fact today is that both the Police and Armed Forces (and the Malaysian Civil Services) have not been earnest or sincere in recruiting non-Malays as they used to do in the earlier 'less divisive' days. We sense we the Chinese and Indian Malaysians (other than a token few for window dressing) aren't welcomed in these institutions.
But to answer Pak Kadir's seeming jeer, we should remember and I would encourage him to be decent and acknowledge his recognition of our Chinese Police heroes of yesteryears, stalwarts such as:
- Yeoh Chew Bik (killed by CT at Sebarang Perai)
- Koh Ah Cheng (killed by CT at Bukit Kepong police Station)
Ironically the communist assailants were led by a Malay Communist, Muhammad Indera - not unlike today's Muslim-Filipino Malay assailants of our 8 policemen
- Loh Ah Chu (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
- Chan Eng Teck (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
- Ang Lock Say (killed by CT at Bukit Berapit, Perak)
- Yeap Sean Hua (killed on duty while apprehending a criminal at Setapak; another policeman Fong Thean Kit who was off duty but heard the shot gave chase and apprehended the killer)
Important note: Both Yeap (posthumously) and Fong were awarded Malaysia’s highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP)
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| SP - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor |
- Chin Chin Kooi (Special Branch Chief Inspector who served in the Police Force for 21 years - shot at point blank range and killed by unknown slayers, probably CT; before he died he managed to shoot back)
Important note: Chin was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP)
- Lee Han Cheong (a Sergeant and PFF patrol leader was killed by CT near Bidok)
- DCP Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong (killed by communist subversive in Perak)
Two other Special Branch police officers who are still alive today were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), namely SP Paul Kiong and DSP Sia Boon Chee.
Without exaggeration, I would consider these two officers’ contributions (presumably still under secret classification) as pivotal to the defeat of the communist terrorist movement in Peninsula Malaysia.
Thus 5 Chinese police officers were awarded the nation's highest gallantry award, the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), with two posthumously. I hope Pak Kadir takes note of this.
Then there were Chinese in the Armed Forces who showed their loyalty to their nation by making the ultimate sacrifices, TUDM officers like the late Lt Choo Yoke Boo and the late Lt Chang Tatt Min who were both awarded the Panglima (or Pingat) Gagah Berani (PGB) posthumously. It's said that the PGB is next in gallantry honours to the SP.
 |
| PGB - awarded for act of extreme bravery and valor |
One Ranger officer, 2nd Lt David Fu Chee Ming who I believe is still alive today, was also awarded the PGB.
2nd Lt David Fu was the Platoon Commander of 8th Platoon of C Company, 4th Battalion Royal Rangers who was tasked and placed in the Tanah Hitam area of Perak to track and destroy the enemy in his sector of operation. This was the citation for his award of the Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB):
On the 27th August 1970, his platoon of 24 men made contact with a group of about 70 enemy combatants. The enemy unknowingly had entered his sector. Thus started a heavy and intensive battle lasting 7 hours. Under his unwavering leadership, the men fought on, successfully killed 4 of the enemy. His patrol did not suffer any casualties.
For his outstanding gallantry and bravery in the finest traditions of the Ranger Corps he was bestowed with the Pingat Gagah Berani, by the King.
He left after exemplary service as a Captain.
Then there was Captain Mohana Chandran al Velayuthan, like 2nd Lt David Fu also of 4th Battalion Royal Rangers.
Captain Chandran was posthumously awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) on 3 June 1971.
His citation for the SP read:
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 CT 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.
Alas, Pak Kadir has not been unlike Defence Minister Zahid Hamidi, who on 09 Nov 2010, as to be expected for the archetypical UMNO ‘patriots’, stated in response to a question in Parliament that the low number of Chinese and Indian recruits in the military could be due to the Chinese and Indians [being] 'not patriotic enough'.
Zahid Hamidi, once a very close ally of Anwar Ibrahim and the man who accused Dr Mahathir of corruption and cronyism in an alleged impatient move by the Anwar faction in UMNO to nudge then-PM Dr M out for Anwar’s final ascendancy to the PM’s post, abandoned his allegiance to Anwar after the former DPM was ejected from UMNO, to pay loyalty to Dr Mahathir.
He is hardly an appropriate person to talk about patriotism or loyalty.
In fact, given his disloyalty to initially his (then) party president Dr Mahathir and then his mentor and 'friend' Anwar Ibrahim, he should be the last person in UMNO to ever moralise about loyalty.
I wonder where were these pro UMNO and UMNO Malay 'patriots', people like Pak Kadir and Zahid Hamidi, when the above Chinese Malaysians made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, Malaysia?
As Aldous Huxley informed us: "One of the great attractions of patriotism - it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what's more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous."
Note: My letter to Malaysiakini on same topic though more brief has been published less than an hour ago, as Chinese M'sians, too, have died for one Malaysia