My Kilat (Lightning) Platoon

My Kilat (Lightning) Platoon of 1973 in Serian, Sarawak. The year, 1973, was my greatest year. It was also the greatest year for my Battalion, 3rd Malaysian Rangers. The Battalion had created a record in making the highest number of kills in a single year - 30 CTs killed. Under me, Kilat platoon had the most. It was soon surpassed by D Company which I later commanded towards the end of the year. In my final contact with the 1st Coy of "Pasukan Gerila Rakyat Sarawak (PGRS), I was awarded the nation's second highest bravery award, the Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB). I had achieved my goal and dream. I had wanted to be like my warrior predecessors in the Sarawak Rangers who had served with distinction with the Commonwealth Forces during the First Emergency in Malaya from 1948 to 1960. Above all, I would like to think I had passed the test of courage - not once but three times within that year. Of course, all these wouldn't have been possible without the equally enthusiastic and brave soldiers under my command. All these didn't come easy. The platoon had to be trained to work as a dedicated, brave and a confident team. They must be made to feel they were superior in terms of fighting skills, endurance and strength. They must have high spirit and espirit-de-corps. How had I achieved this?

I enrolled the platoon in a local Tang Soo Do Club and trained with them twice a week

................ and trained them four times a week in Serian Camp

...... and sparred with them during the training sessions. ......and the results were successes after successes.