Rudyard Kipling"
āWhen you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldierā
General Douglas MacArthur"
āWe are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.ā
āIt is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.ā āOld soldiers never die; they just fade away.
āThe soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.ā
āMay God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .ā āThe object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
āNobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
āIt is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
A Forgotten Iban Warrior, Lance Corporal Ungkok ak Jugam
Friday, February 13, 2009
This post and material was from Lt Col (Rtd) Robert Rizal PGB-edit. The Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers served with distinction during the First Emergency in Malaya, alongside the Commonwealth Forces. In that 12 years of fighting the insurgency war, their casualties were exceptionally low ā only 20 killed-in-actions and 25 wounded. Their uncanny tracking skill and prowess in the battlefield had earned them worldwide recognition. The qualities and numbers of bravery awards they received from the British Government spoke for them. They died fighting for a cause - helping the Commonwealth Forces fight the communist terrorists to prevent Malaya from falling into their hands from 1948 to 1960. They served with distinction and displayed their uncanny tracking skill and unparalleled courage. They were acknowledged by Sir Gerald Templer as the world's best. Between them, they earned numerous bravery awards and medals, including the highest ever given to a civilian. Tracker Awang ak Rawangwas awarded the George Cross, an equivalent of a Victoria Cross, for saving a British soldier in the face of enemy fire.
Their graves are scattered all over Malaya, including two in Singapore.
The location of Lance Corporal Ungkok ak Jugam's graveyard in Alor Setar is a real shocker. He was killed in action on February 13, 1955. Overtaken by development and worsened by the unconcerned and uncaring attitude of the authorities, the graveyard was seemingly reduced to becoming a "milestone".
The grave stone of LCpl Ungkok ak. Jugam at Km 4, Jalan Langgar, Alor Setar, Kedah
My heart bleeds when I saw the picture in a blog. As an ex-Ranger officer myself, I felt it was something I have to put right. I vowed to take the matter up to the highest authority. It became my mission. On November 12, 2008, I sent a letter to the Director of Veterans Affairs in KL requesting they should look at LCpl Ungkok's grave with the intention of relocating it to a more respectable location. The British Army was unable to move the grave as they couldnāt locate the next-of-kin (NOK), a procedure which was a must, otherwise the grave couldnāt be moved. So, Ungkokās grave remained as it was.
Development somehow, has rendered the grave into becoming such a pitiful sight ā by the shoulder of a highway. I was surprised that the Veterans Department (JHEV) wasnāt aware of this grave. Anyway, they soon started to move their machinery to locate the NOK.
Follow-Up Actions/Chronology of Events
November 18, 2008: A Staff Officer from Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veterans ATM (JHEV) called me this morning to say that they have received my letter. They were thankful and was surprised to see the grave by the roadside. They didn't know anything about it and nobody had talked about it either. They will try to locate the next-of-kin and meantime find out about relocating the grave to Taiping or Batu Gajah.
Let's hope it wouldn't take them ages to relocate the grave
December 2, 2008: Apparently, the location of LCpl Ungkok ak. Jugam's grave was raised by the Malaysian Historical Society (Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia), Kedah Branch on April 17, 2006. In reply, the Malaysian Ex-Services Association (Persatuan Bekas Tentera Malaysia), Sarawak Branch gave the name of his nearest NOK to Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia, Kedah Branch. As I do not have access to correspondences thereon, I do not know what transpired between the two organisations and whether there was any plan to relocate the grave elsewhere.
Anyway, two years had gone by and the grave is still where it was - there had been no actions by either organisations. Today, I called the Staff Officer of Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veteran ATM on the outcome of the letter I sent them earlier on. She told me they have located the nearest NOK, (the same name given to the Historical Society Kedah Branch two years ago. She is from Ng Jela, Lubok Antu, Sri Aman). They have instructed Pengarah JHEV ATM Sarawak Branch to contact the NOK and inform her of the situation and seek her consent to relocate the grave to a more respectable location. I had suggested Batu Gajah or Taiping, where his comrades were laid to rest. LCpl Ungkok died a bachelor.
January 6, 2009
I called on a JHEV staff to find out on the progress of trying to relocate the grave of LCpl Ungkok ak. Jugam. The attempt to trace his NOK has hit a snag. The NOK identified by the Ex-Services Association of Sarawak could not be found. I asked them what happen if no NOK is found? They said they will seek the advice of the Kedah State government on the next course of action and the legal implications involved. So, it looks like LCpl Ungkok's case will have to wait a while.
February 3, 2009
I received an email from the Secretary General of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) sympathising and expressing their shock at seeing the graveyard of LCpl Ungkok ak. Jugam by the highway in Kedah It is a most welcomed email from a NGO. With the involvement of SADIA, I hope to strengthen my effort to relocate Ungkok's grave. SADIA can apply more pressure on the Sarawak Government, JHEV and PBTM to take a more positive and urgent approach in solving and handling the case. I hope to hear more from SADIA - hopefully.
February 5, 2009
I received the good news today from Major Monday Juhid of Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veteran Sarawak Branch that he has obtained the consent letter from the NOK of LCpl Ungkok ak Jugam (Puan Irene). The letter has been forwarded to Headquarters JHEV in KL for further action. I immediately called Major Suhaila, a staff officer in Hq JHEV responsible for the case and told her that I would like to be around when they exhume the grave. She concurred.
I'm so glad the case is solved. The next course of actions will be purely procedural and administrative. I felt a load off my shoulder. Thank you Major Monday and Major Suhaila for helping out. LCpl Ungkok's soul will finally find a respectable resting place where he could rest in peace. Highlighted in Lt Col (Rtd) Robert Rizal's blog
Iban Rites/custom when exhuming the grave and reburying the remains. email rizalbob@gmail.com
