MAT HUSSIN PUT COUNTRY BEFORE PAY
Home Guard from Kampung Padang Luas willing to do his duty to safeguard nation even without a salary
MAT Hussin Senik, 76, worked for three years without pay, protecting the country from the communists. The “warrior” from Kampung Padang Luas said even though he was not given any salary, he was willing to do his duty to safeguard the nation.
It all started in 1959 while he was working as a security guard at a rail station in Kampung Geris, Kuala Krai, Kelantan, for three years and was only given free food and drinks from the authorities.
The former Home Guard said he and a few other friends were requested to serve as a team and they were deployed to guard the rail station because communists at that time often vandalised the railways, stopping the commuting locals.
“I guarded the rail station and was sometimes assigned to track communists in the forest,” he said yesterday.
Although he did not get any pay like other safety personnel, such as the police and the military, a Home Guard’s duty was similar to both jobs.
Mat Hussin joined the Home Guard to fight the communists, who were active in Kelantan and Terengganu at the time.
The Home Guard, or the local security team, was a volunteer organisation that played a big role in safeguarding the then Tanah Melayu during the Emergency in 1948.
“We set up roadblocks around the country to prevent communists from moving their basic needs, such as food, medicine, clothes and weapons, to reach their bases,” Mat Hussin said.
The Home Guard was established by the British and disbanded after the Emergency ended on July 31, 1960.
During the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation between 1963 and 1965, the team was re-established to assist the security forces in preventing illegal landings and infiltration from Indonesia and was later disbanded after the confrontation ended.
After the May 13, 1969 riots, the country’s leaders realised the need for a regular voluntary team to assist the government in addressing security problems and threats.
Mat Hussin said after serving in the Home Guard, he was offered a chance to serve in the Royal Malaysian Police to uphold the country’s sovereignty.
During his tenure in the police force, he received the National Heroes Service Medal award from the government.
“The best day of my life was when I received the special award in conjunction with the Besut District-Level National Day celebrations in 2011,” he said.