DR Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah had the audacity to challenge me to a debate in a news article titled “Kalau berani, tutup mulut saya kalau tak mahu tampar” published on August 22 by the Bahasa Malaysia-language portal Ismaweb.net. I do not wish to be trapped by Ridhuan or Isma in an ethno-religious polemic, as the history of our security forces is already well-documented. However, I wish to reply to some of the points in his sarcastic and irascible accusations.

About a week ago, we were made aware of an article written by Ridhuan, published on July 7 by the Isma-run portal, berating Patriot president general Mohd Arshad Raji. Ridhuan denigrated Arshad by telling him to retire quietly, be close to the mosque, and not curry favours and try to gain a senior position in the Pakatan Harapan government. He also said Arshad is a nobody compared to Warrant Officer Kanang anak Langkau. A media statement was issued on August 21 to defend Arshad’s honour, including pointing out Ridhuan’s factual errors regarding the Gunung Korbu incident, in which I was personally involved.

Both Arshad and national hero Kanang had served our king and country with honour. While Kanang has been rightfully acclaimed for his valour, Arshad had the honour of making Malaysia proud by being appointed as the Malaysian army contingent commander to serve the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cambodia in 1992-93 with distinction, and received letters of commendation from the UN and the Cambodian king. Ridhuan was comparing oranges to apples. How about comparing himself to Arshad?

The military operates as a cohesive force. Not only those in the combatant arms, but those in the supporting arms and the general services are also important. And, not forgetting those in the air force and navy, too. By belittling Arshad, Ridhuan has also belittled soldiers who served as storekeepers, cooks, clerks, drivers, doctors and military policemen.

Ridhuan has to come clean before challenging me to any debate. All my publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals in the field of cardiovascular disease have been the result of hard work. I do not believe in plagiarising others’ work. Ridhuan is alleged to have plagiarised the work of UTM lecturer Airil Yasreen Mohd Yassin for his 2010 academic exercise. That allegation was made by Teresa Kok and Senator Ariffin Omar, and had to do with his Peperiksaan Tahap Kecekapan promotion examination (Malaysiakini, November 21, 2013). Ridhuan needs to first redeem himself of that accusation.

He had also cynically told me to learn BM from him. He should first learn how to properly do citations in academic writing. As a scholar, he should also learn to avoid using rhetorical language and bias, and how to look at arguments from all angles, meaning, objectively.

Ridhuan called me “ultra kiasu”. Whatever he meant by that truly puzzles me. I use the word “kiasu” on my close friends, too – not with a negative connotation, but as a mark of respect for their competitive spirit.

Ridhuan also used the word “communist” against me. He asked, “Atau mungkin kamu masih berperangai macam komunis?”.

I am now seeking legal opinion from my solicitors regarding his remarks, and I shall pursue legal proceedings without hesitation if necessary.

Ridhuan also compared me to our national hero, Kanang. He said Kanang received gallantry and other national awards, and asked what award I’ve received.

He might not know that the Gunung Korbu incident he referred to was a special, secret operation that was planned months ahead. The incident happened on June 1, 1979 (he wrongly stated that it took place on February 19, 1980, quoting from an archived source). I was then a young second lieutenant. About a month prior to the incident, my battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel C.A. Tony Loone, told me he wanted me to lead a team of 10 men, comprising some of the best trackers in the 8th Battalion Ranger Regiment, on a special mission to locate an enemy camp. The then CPO, Yuen Yuet Leng, had asked for the most reliable platoon commander, and Loone picked me. I was to start training with my men.

About a week before the incident, Loone brought me to see Yuen to receive instructions. Yuen wanted to make sure I did not foul up the operation because the intelligence received was “A1”, which refers to double-confirmed intel. He also cautioned me about booby traps. My orders were to lead the special team, tactically moving to locate the enemy camp. I was given a former CT, a surrendered enemy personnel member, to guide me to the camp. A company of men led by then captain Othman Hamid followed behind and was tasked with launching an attack once the camp was located.

The mission had a high risk of encountering the enemy’s booby traps. I was mentally prepared to lose a leg after receiving orders from Yuen, and had told my company commander, major Kartar Singh, that in the event I lost a leg, he must not inform my parents. I would inform them personally after recuperating.

My team and the company led by Othman were secretly inserted at night. It took another three days before we could reach the suspected locality of the camp. Two days before June 1, and before we could locate the camp, we had a chance encounter with an enemy reconnaissance group and a brief firefight ensued. Artillery bombardments came to cut off the enemy personnel’s withdrawal route. Our secrecy advantage was lost. From locating the enemy camp, the mission was changed to a hot pursuit.

Cutting a long story short, on June 1, 1979, about 2pm, our whole group led by Othman managed to catch up with the withdrawing enemy group without them realising. We were shivering from the soaking rain and the mountain altitude. Othman called the officers together to give quick orders for an attack. Second lieutenant Govindaraj Kanappan’s platoon was the left cut-off (a tactical term for blocking the enemy’s withdrawal route) group. Second lieutenant Mohana Kumaran’s platoon was the right cut-off group. Lieutenant Rajiee Mahmood’s platoon was the further end cut-off group. Othman wanted my team to be one of the cut-off groups because we were near mental and physical exhaustion from our earlier role. I told him that I wanted to be in the assault group (a more dangerous task). He agreed to my request, and led the left assault group, while I led the right assault one.

At 3pm, then corporal Michael Riman shot the first burst from his light machine gun to start the attack on the enemy group’s resting place, which caught them by surprise. All of us in the assault group, in a single-line formation, opened fire simultaneously with our M16 rifles and charged forward. There was resistance from the enemy. The firefight continued for 45 minutes, during which shrapnel from an exploding enemy grenade hit my leg. Michael sustained a serious injury to the right hand from enemy fire. The insurgents withdrew. Govidaraj’s platoon gave chase and found blood trails, leading to another firefight. Despite limping, I led the mopping-up operation. The enemy group left behind three bodies and about 25 large backpacks. Govindaraj’s platoon, during its pursuit, killed another two enemy members. In total, we had five kills. We lost two soldiers (Rgr Ramlee and Rgr Baharuddin), and to this day, I still think of them: two brave brothers in arms who still live in my memory. The following day, Michael and I were airlifted out because of our injuries, along with the deceased soldiers and the bodies of the enemies.

This is a true account, without exaggeration, of what happened during the Gunung Korbu incident – quite different from Ridhuan’s account of the event. The whole team from the 8th Battalion Ranger Regiment, and the attached platoon from the 6th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment, fought bravely. Later, intelligence reports revealed that many more of the enemy personnel were either injured or killed. That explains why they delayed their withdrawal and engaged us for 45 minutes, a duration that, to my knowledge, was never recorded for any other search-and-destroy operation during the Second Emergency (1968 to 1989). They must be trying to retrieve their casualties.

Weeks later, when Loone asked me about the performance of the team members, I spoke highly about the bravery of Kanang, Michael, medical orderly corporal Abang Bolhi, corporal Ambrose anak Uning, corporal Awang Omar Awang Tengah, lance corporal Mathew Wan, lance corporal Raja Gopal Supramaniam, lance corporal Lai Chun Min and others. The officers showed exemplary leadership and led our men to fight with fury.

Ethics and honour are values that military officers hold dear. Officers always think about their men’s safety. Officers do not fabricate stories to earn awards and accolades, unlike certain people in academia. The gallantry medals bestowed upon Kanang, Michael and others make us proud.

To Ridhuan’s question on what award I’ve received, my answer is, I am thankful to the Almighty to be alive today, and did not step on any booby trap. That alone is enough. The enemy left me a “souvenir”, a tiny shrapnel embedded in my leg. My close-to-death experience in the Gunung Korbu incident, and the numerous times I’ve missed stepping on booby traps in my years of search-and-destroy jungle operations, have taught me never to be boastful. The news article headlined “kalau tak mahu tampar” was rude and aggressive. Such is the type of people who will actually freeze and urinate in their pants in the face of real enemy fire or when walking through minefields.

Ridhuan should sort himself out before he replies. He is dealing with a soldier who has defeated death, and now stands tall and ever-willing to serve the nation. I do not wish to debate on military matters with someone like Ridhuan, who has never been a soldier, even for a day. Too much time and emotion has consumed me, which I can better use for more productive purposes.

Thank you and salam, Ridhuan. – August 30, 2019.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is Patriot public communications director.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.