PETALING JAYA: The failure of the Communist Party of Malaya to take over the country is proof of the prowess of our security forces in putting down the post-Merdeka insurgency.
Kapt (Rtd) Dr Wong Ang Peng said tactical and psychological approaches were used by security forces, especially in eliminating the remaining communist insurgents in the 70s and 80s.
Wong, 66, who was with the Ninth Malaysian Infantry Brigade, said the tactical method used to locate and attack a communist camp during a special operation in Gunung Korbu, Hulu Kinta in Perak on June 1, 1979, was “exceptional”.
He added that he was called up by then Perak police chief Datuk Seri Yuen Yuet Leng, and a team of 10 was assembled comprising army recruits from Sabah, Sarawak and Orang Asli.
“Perak was a hot area in the 1970s for communist operations, and Yuen wanted the most reliable platoon commander to lead the operation.
“It was a night operation, and before deployment, I had to be mentally prepared to lose a leg due to land mines that were planted in the area we were going to enter. I told my company commander of my concerns and asked him not to tell my father if I lost a leg,” he told theSun.
Wong recounted climbing a 4,000ft mountain at midnight with only the moonlight to guide the group as they needed to avoid being detected.
“It was the booby traps that we feared.”
Halfway through the mission, they saw three stones stacked up together.
“Our informant, a former communist called Along, had told me that the stones were (an indicator) to the enemy that we were nearby. We believe that communist sympathisers had placed them there to alert the terrorists.
“I had a scout proceed ahead while we discussed the best tactical strategy. However, he stumbled on two communist terrorists and a gun battle ensued, exposing our mission.”
From what was supposed to be an ambush, the mission changed course to include pursuing the enemy through rain and foliage, being ever so careful to track their trail for the next two days.
“As we climbed further up the mountain, it started to get colder. The jungle vegetation wasn’t thick and this gave us the advantage to trace their tracks. Soon, we found their trail. They were carrying huge bags of about 20kg to 30kg that included booby traps, books and food. We estimated there were 30 people,” Wong said.
“When we arrived at (the camp) at about 2pm, we decided to carry out a quick attack. We had to be careful not to step on booby traps. We filed into an assault formation.
“At 3pm, we shot in the direction of the communist terrorists with our M16 rifles. We then started to charge, covering the 50m of ground in front of us.
“The intense gunfight lasted 45 minutes. We killed three of the communists in the attack while two others were fatally shot as we pursued them through the jungle,” he added.
“They shot (an explosives) launcher and a ball bearing hit me in my left leg. The ball bearing was 2mm. It lodged in between the bones of my lower leg. I felt a slight numbness but no pain. Luckily, no major vessels or bones were hit.”
Their successful effort was recognised by higher military authorities, and an aggressive search and destroy effort to capture the remaining communists was launched.
As Malaysia celebrates Merdeka Day on Aug 31, Wong’s message to the public is not to take our freedom for granted but to appreciate the efforts of the many men and women in uniform and even civilians who sacrificed their lives to attain it.
