Unity Main Bulwark Against Country Being Invaded, Cherish Peace - Former 69 Commando Sergeant

By Muhamad Adzhar Tajuddin

IPOH, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- The peace and sovereignty enjoyed by Malaysia today are thanks to the invaluable struggles and sacrifices of the nation's soldiers, who have always stood firm in defending the country.

Recalling the Bukit Jenalik tragedy in Kuala Kangsar on July 2, 2000, former 69 Commando member Sgt Maj Zol’aini Sabar, 68, stressed that defending the nation's sovereignty also requires all Malaysians to remain united and appreciate the meaning of sacrifice and peace.

The tragic incident saw a militant group known as Al-Maunah stealing a number of firearms and ammunition from the Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Gerik before taking refuge at Bukit Jenalik with the intention of overthrowing the government, prompting a special operation known as Op Subuh.

Zol’aini, one of the 20 members of the 69 Commando force deployed in the special operation, said the incident served as a clear reminder that threats to national security could emerge from within if patriotism and national unity were fragile.

“People today may not be able to imagine the tense moments we once went through. That is why, in conjunction with Malaysia Day, we must never take the peace we have for granted. Cherish this homeland and do not do anything that could jeopardise the security and harmony we enjoy together,” he told Bernama.

Recounting Op Subuh, the Kampung Kepayang, Ipoh native said the support team he was part of, together with the main team led by former 69 Commando Commander Datuk Abdul Razak Mohd Yusoff, were given strict orders to apprehend all 27 members of the group alive and without bloodshed.

He explained that the challenges of the operation involved not only the terrain of rubber plantations and dense undergrowth, which were vulnerable to ambushes, but also the threat posed by the expertise of former security personnel who were members of the group.

“One of them was Zahit Muslim, the right-hand man of the group’s leader, Mohd Amin Mohd Razali. Zahit was a former colleague of mine in the 69 Commando and was highly skilled in handling heavy weapons and booby traps.

“This required us to act with the utmost caution,” he said.

The tragedy claimed the lives of two security personnel involved in the operation: Detective Corporal R Sanghadevan from the Royal Malaysia Police Special Branch and Malaysian Armed Forces Grup Gerak Khas commando Trooper Mathew Medan.

Zol’aini stressed that the experience had taught him an important lesson in dealing with security threats: true strength does not depend solely on weapons, but also on the wisdom to control situations, tolerance, and prioritising human lives and peace.

He said that in the context of Malaysia’s formation and unity today, Malaysians of all races must continue to stand together and not allow themselves to be divided by radical ideologies or external agendas seeking to destabilise the country from within.

In conjunction with Malaysia Day celebrations, the father of four hoped that the younger generation would understand that defending the nation’s sovereignty requires a strong bulwark of unity from all levels of society.

“Malaysia’s stability did not come about spontaneously, but was built on sacrifice and harmony shared by all. Defend this sovereignty for the future of the nation,” he said.

-- BERNAMA