03/06/2025

TUESDAY | JUNE 3, 2025 5 Police detain man, seize RM13m syabu KANGAR: Perak police seized over 365kg of syabu (methamphetamine) estimated to be worth RM13.14 million and detained a 40-year old man at Kampung Belat Batu, Beseri near Padang Besar on Sunday. State police chief Datuk Muhammad Abdul Halim said based on information, the drug seizure and arrest were carried out by a police team from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department of the Perlis contingent police headquarters at 3.30am. He said before the arrest, the suspect was seen alighting from a Proton Waja car and heading towards another car, a Toyota Vios. “Checks on the Toyota Vios car found 17 stitched bags containing drugs suspected to be methamphetamine, believed to have originated from Thailand,” he said at the Perlis headquaters here yesterday. Muhammad said initial investigations found that the suspect is believed to have used a forest area in the Padang Besar district as a transit point before the drugs were sent to the southern part of the country, with the amount being enough for 3.6 million users. He said urine tests showed that the man was positive for methamphetamine. He also has criminal records related to drug cases. “The suspect has been remanded for seven days starting Sunday, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Police are tracking down another suspect to assist in the investigation,” he said. Meanwhile, Muhammad said police arrested a 30-year-old Thai man and seized two packages of compressed ganja weighing 2kg hidden in a garbage bin in the Taman Singgah Sana area, Padang Besar at 2.15 am on Sunday. – Bernama Pensioner loses over RM100,000 in scam TANGKAK: A 58-year-old female pensioner lost RM108,520 to a scam syndicate. Tangkak police chief Supt Roslan Mohd Talib said the woman claimed it started on May 9 when she was contacted by two men; one of them claimed to be an officer from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the other claimed to be a police officer. Roslan said the men told the woman she was wanted in a fraud case involving investments and non-existent loans, and she had to transfer her money to a given bank account to facilitate investigations of the case. The woman transferred her money in 16 transactions to two given bank accounts, believed to be “mule accounts”, he said in a statement. Roslan added that the woman lodged a police report yesterday, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. He also advised victims of fraud to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997 as an initial action to block the outflow of money from the suspect’s account. – Bernama Man in fighting incident identified NIBONG TEBAL: Police have identified one of the men involved in a fight at Bukit Tambun Toll Plaza here, South Seberang Perai district police chief Supt Jay January Siowou said. He added that they were tracking down the suspect, who is a local man. “The case is being investigated under Section 323 and Section 506 of the Penal Code,” he said yesterday. Police was reported to have received two reports about a fight between two men at the toll plaza after a video recording of the fight was widely shared on social media. – Bernama

Remembering sacrifices of forgotten war heroes

o ‘We hope memoirs would raise awareness among younger generation about experiences of armed forces veterans while defending nation’s sovereignty during Confrontation’

made by armed forces veterans in defending the nation’s sovereignty. “These two books were produced to create awareness. Especially for the younger generation. Imagine if your generation isn’t aware, what about future generations? “If we don’t publicise it, the public won’t know or understand what we’ve been through, especially now that things are so peaceful,” he said. Lee added that Macva also aims to highlight the contributions of non-Malay veterans, in a bid to encourage greater participation from non-Malays in the armed forces. “I was in charge of the Recruit Training Centre in Johor from 2004 to 2007. Every intake, we would get 700 recruits. If I got one or two Chinese to join the Navy, it was a blessing. As for Indians, we had maybe three or four. Too few non-Malays are joining the armed forces. That’s the sad part. “There’s nothing wrong with joining the army; we know, because we’ve lived that life. It’s a good life. Not rich, but comfortable,” he added. Wong expressed hope that historians would now take note of the events left out of the nation’s official narrative, and that these stories may one day be included in history textbooks. Sunday’s Memoirs 2 book launch drew nearly a thousand attendees, including army veterans, their families and military enthusiasts.

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

overthrown, and the entire regime collapsed. “I believe God saved Malaysia. It was a critical time,” said Lt-Kol (Rtd) Dr Liew Ngoh Chin. “When we talk about this part of history, you won’t find it in academic books. “In fact, many university historians aren’t even aware of the incident,” said Liew, author of Memoirs – Malaya and Borneo at War (Memoirs 2) ”, published by Macva, during the book’s launch at M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The book is a sequel to the association’s first publication, Memoirs of the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans (Memoirs 1) , released in 2020. Both books document the experiences of armed forces personnel during some of the country’s most challenging times. Also present were Macva president Lt-Kol (Rtd) Wong Ah Jit, better known as A.J. Wong and his predecessor Kapt (Rtd) Datuk Lee Kwang Lock. Lee said he hopes the publications will raise awareness among Malaysians, especially the younger generation, about the sacrifices

PETALING JAYA: While it is well known that Malaysia and Indonesia share a long and sometimes uneasy relationship, not many people are aware that lives were lost during the insurgency at the height of the Confrontation period in Malaysia’s early post independence years. The Malaysian Armed Forces Chinese Veterans Association (Macva) said this episode remains a relatively underexplored part of the country’s history, often downplayed or omitted by mainstream accounts. The association added that had Indonesia’s first president Sukarno remained in power, the Confrontation might have escalated further, posing serious challenges for a young Malaysia still establishing itself as a nation. “Something happened in Indonesia, which was then under Sukarno’s control. Then came a coup d’état . Sukarno was

I was shot during ambush, says veteran PETALING JAYA: One experience Kapt (Rtd) Tong Lye Heng will never forget was being shot by communist insurgents, which left a large hole in his left thigh, while leading a platoon during Operation Kota along the Malaysia–Thailand border. Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Tong said his platoon was attempting to ambush communist forces when their position was detected, leading to a firefight. “That was when I was shot in the thigh, and the bullet exited through the back. Fortunately, I remained conscious and was able to call for artillery support and a helicopter for medical evacuation. From second left: Wong, Lee and Liew browsing through Memoirs 1 and 2 . – ADIB RAWI YAHYA /THESUN

forces. “Luckily, I was still able to think clearly during that time,” he said, pausing for a moment. “I had only been in the service for three years then, and I still could feel the effects of that incident to this day.” Tong’s story was also part of the Memoirs 2 prequel titled Memoirs of the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans (Memoirs 1) published by the Malaysian Armed Forces Chinese Veterans Association in 2020, just days before the Covid-19 lockdown. Both books document the experiences of armed forces personnel during some of the country’s most challenging times, penned by Lt-Kol (Rtd) Dr Liew Ngoh Chin. – By IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE

Recalling the incident, Tong said it occurred just two days after he had taken command of the platoon. “The incident happened on June 10, 1971. I had only been leading the platoon for two days, replacing a colleague who had gone for a course. “Just imagine, I received the new platoon at midday, and by the next day, I had already been shot,” he said when met by the media at the launch of the book Memoirs – Malaya and Borneo at War (Memoirs 2) at M Resort & Hotel

“However, when the helicopter arrived, it came under attack from the communists and had to turn back, forcing us to wait for a second helicopter. “The second one arrived and provided cover fire, which allowed me to be rescued,” he said. That was one of the most harrowing moments of his active service in the armed