MIRI: Each year on September 16, Malaysians gather to celebrate the day in 1963 when a young federation was born. Parades march through towns, flags ripple in the breeze, and speeches recall the promise of unity that brought together Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore under one banner.
For most, Malaysia Day is a festive occasion. For a small group of war veterans in Sarawak, however, it is a time of bittersweet remembrance – a reminder of what it cost to keep Malaysia standing in its fragile early years.
“We fought so that Malaysia could stand,” said Sergeant (Rtd) James Mering Imang, 77, a recipient of the Pingat Gagah Berani (PGB), one of the nation’s highest honours for bravery. “Now, in our old age, we only ask that the government remembers us in return.”
From formation to firefights
When Malaysia was proclaimed in 1963, the young nation’s future was uncertain. The Indonesian Confrontation (1963-1966) loomed, sparked by Indonesia’s then President Sukarno’s opposition to the federation. Within months, communist movements in Malaya and Sarawak also mobilised to destabilise the new country.
In the decades that followed, the jungles of Borneo and the Malayan peninsula became battlegrounds. Young Sarawakians – many barely out of school – enlisted to defend the federation.
James was one of them. In June 1967, barely 19 years old, he reported for basic training in Port Dickson. After six months of drill and combat exercises, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion Malaysian Rangers Regiment. Within a year, he was deployed to operations in Ulu Selangor and later Serian, Sarawak.
“Morale was often low,” James recalled. “In Perak, seven of our men were killed in an ambush. I saw too many friends die too young. But we had no choice. We carried on because the country depended on us.”
One of his most searing memories was Operation Dublin Estate in Kedah in 1971. Communist insurgents had infiltrated a plantation near the Thai border. James and his unit, armed with Belgian FN rifles, engaged in a fierce firefight that left seven enemies dead.
“It was survival – ours and Malaysia’s,” he said. “Every bullet fired was to defend the independence we had only just gained.”
Back in Sarawak, James was later involved in operations against guerrillas under Bong Kee Chok, leader of the North Kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP). In 1972 and 1973, his battalion conducted intelligence-led missions in Serian, Asajaya, and other hot spots. Some insurgents surrendered; others fought until their last breath.
Today, James lives quietly in Ulu Baram. Each Malaysia Day, he raises the Malaysian and Sarawak flags outside his home.
“It is my way of remembering why we fought,” he said. “But I hope the government remembers us too – not just in speeches, but in action.”
Sarawak’s sons at the frontline
James’s story is echoed by other Sarawakian veterans. Corporal (Rtd) Nelus Nyelang, 70, recalls hearing about Malaysia’s formation as a nine-year-old boy in 1963. By the time he enlisted with the 8th Battalion Malaysian Rangers Regiment, the Communist threat had become the military’s primary enemy.
His postings took him from Kuching to Sri Aman, confronting the NKCP’s First Bureau led by Bong Kee Chok. In 1976, his unit struck a decisive blow in Lundu when they neutralised Lee Lip Fung, a political commissar of the insurgents.
“That was our first confirmed kill in the district,” Nelus said. “We knew then that Malaysia’s survival was not decided in Kuala Lumpur or Kuching – it was decided in the jungles where we fought.”
For Nelus, Malaysia Day carries both pride and frustration.
“We secured the country. Sarawak today is thriving socially, politically, and economically because we cleared the threats. Yet many of us who are non-pensionable veterans live without steady income. We only ask for dignity in our old age. Even RM1,000 a month from the state or federal government would be enough.”
Sergeant (Rtd) Jonathan Tinggom Pemanca Entri, 78, spent 15 years in service, including with military intelligence unit Co-Risik. His career took him from Port Dickson to Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, and Kuala Lumpur.
Today, he serves as secretary of the Miri branch of the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVATM).
“The nation has thrived because we secured the ground for it,” Jonathan said. “Malaysia Day should remind us not only of unity but of sacrifice. Too many veterans, especially in Sarawak, remain outside pension schemes. Recognition must mean action, not just parades.”
The forgotten few
For Sarawak, the contribution of its veterans is unique. Unlike in Malaya, where the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) operated, Sarawak faced the NKCP and remnants of Indonesian confrontation. The rugged jungles of Borneo demanded extraordinary resilience from young soldiers, many from longhouses and rural villages.
Today, fewer than 10,000 veterans remain in Sarawak. Many are ageing, some in ill health, and a significant number are non-pensionable.
“The veterans’ appeal is straightforward: provide monthly allowances, dividends from state trust funds, or dedicated welfare schemes. With Sarawak’s strong finances and political stability, they believe the state is more than capable of looking after its own.”
“Every Malaysia Day, we are proud of our flags and our leaders,” said Nelus. “But we hope our leaders remember that behind this stability is the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of Sarawakian sons and daughters.”
Malaysia Day beyond ceremonies
As Malaysia prepares to mark its 62nd Malaysia Day, the veterans’ appeal is timely. The celebrations will showcase parades, performances, and patriotic speeches. Yet for James, Nelus, Jonathan, and their comrades, true honour lies not in pageantry but in policy.
“Malaysia Day should not just be about flags and songs,” James said quietly. “It should also be about the men and women who bled for this country. We gave our youth for Malaysia. Now, in our old age, we only hope Malaysia gives something back.”
Their message is a reminder that while independence was declared in 1963, it had to be defended for decades afterwards. The peace Malaysians enjoy today was not inevitable – it was won in the mud, rain, and fire of battle.
A legacy worth preserving
In every Malaysia Day parade, schoolchildren wave flags, unaware perhaps that men like James once carried rifles through jungles so they could wave those flags in peace. The veterans’ generation is fading, but their stories remain a foundation of the nation’s history.
This Malaysia Day, as Sarawak and the nation celebrate unity, the call from its veterans rings clear: honour us not just with words, but with action.
For James, the answer is straightforward.
“Malaysia is our pride,” he said. “We stood for her when she was young. Now, we only ask that she stands by us as we grow old.”
