Not quite right to say that we did not suffer war like Vietnam and Cambodia. The difference is the intensity of the war that was fought. Starting with the Darurat which ended in 1960, that alone eaten up a lot of valuable resource, be it in treasury or human resources. The formation of Malaysia in 1963 forced us to face not 1, but 2 neighbours that had the largest and most modern military in Asia Pacific. We were lucky that they (Indonesia and the Philippines) did not order an all out war against us. From 1970 to 1975, an equally devastating war was fought deep in the jungles both in Peninsular against reinvigorated Malayan Communist Party and in Sarawak against North Kalimantan Communist Party. Construction of the North-South Highway being constantly sabotaged by blowing up of construction equipment forced the conscription of many young men (yes, conscription. A very little known fact) into the 300 series Territorial Army (now reformed into Border Regiment). Just because it was deep in the jungle doesnt mean it didnt happen. Those in Baling, Kedah would tell you they would see daily helicopter flights doing cavesecs and medivacs to the school fields then straight to the military hospitals. And our neighbour Singapore was spared all these as the bandits couldnt find a place to hide on that island and hid here. Oh, ya. The assassination team that murdered then IGP Abdul Rahman in broad daily light in KL, they were supposed to go to Singapore to murder Singapore Police Chief and Army Chief of Staff. But we foiled them. Too bad one of the gunmen got to escape and is living happily in one of the peace villages in Thailand.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:15:53 +0000
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