The sabalterns of 3rd Rangers in Camp Town Barrack, Taiping, Perak. In the picture R to L front row: Robert Madang Langi (Robert Rizal Abdullah), Patrick Chong, Bujang Sapawi, Surintheran Menon, David Foo, Farid, Razaki Darus, Linus Lunsong Janti, Pak Wan Chik, Abang Ali Badren and Albert Ng Yoon Poon. Back row R to L: Peter Yeow, Jagdeesh Sing Gill, Kassim Abdul Kadir, Seow Cheng Chye and Yip.
Source: Facebook Hj Robert Rizal Abdullah
This must be around 1970. Yours Truly is on extreme right. I was a Second Lieutenant, so were the rest except for Lt Razaki Darus. I must be about 20 years old then. Some were either a year older or younger. But what we had in common then was our camaraderie and fighting spirit. It was the time when Chin Peng had launched his second phase of Emergency in Malaya.
I think we have made some contributions to the country one way or another. Four of us had been the lucky ones to have been awarded the gallantry medal PGB – the late Lt Kol Kassim Abdul Kadir, Lt David Foo, Capt Panirchelvam and Yours Truly. The others were equally brave, if not better. Luck was not with them.
Most of us had made it to Lt Kol and had commanded infantry battalions. A few outstanding ones like Maj Gen Dato Ranjit Singh, Maj Gen Dato Jeyabalan, Brig Gen Dato Kamaruddin Mattan, Brig Gen Dato Goh Ah Bah and Kol Pak Wan Chik had reached the pinnacle of their careers and made us proud. Amazingly, Kol Pak Wan Chik had served beyond our Malaysian borders. In 1995, he was the Deputy Commander, Sector SouthWest UNPROFOR (UK 4th Armoured Brigade) and between 1996 to 1997 he was the Senior Operation & Liaison Officer attached to Supreme Hq Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO. He had also served as the ADC to the Colonel-In-Chief 0f the Rangers, the Raja of Perlis.
Surprisingly and amazingly too, those who retired Captains and Majors have made a life for themselves today. They have successful businesses – Maj KD Richard, Capt Tan Too Giok, Capt Narayannan and Captain Panirchelvam PGB.
Lt Kol Linus Lunsong Janti left our Unit early to join the Commando and had his fair share and amazing stories to tell. He is an avid writer and has many books to his credit.
Unfortunately,five had left us early and untimely, Kol M F Nesaratnam, Lt Kol Kassim Abdul Kadir PGB, Lt Kol Surintheran, Maj Jagdeesh Singh and Lt Suseelan Selvarajah (not in picture). Alfatihah and may their soul rest in peace
