‘LAHAD DATU INTRUSION LINGERS IN MY MIND’
VAT 69 commando shares bitter experience six years after intrusion by Sulu insurgents
THEY say time heals everything, but for Abdul Rani Alias fighting an armed group from the southern Philippines in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, is something he will never forget.
It has been six long years, but the deputy commander of the VAT 69 commando team at the time has finally shared his experience.
Rani, who led the Delta sector team, said he and the other 24 commandos entered the village at midnight on Feb 28, 2013, to clear all the 25 houses in the area.
“After the area was cleared, I heard gunshots about 9.45am from Charlie and Bravo sectors about 200m from us.
“I instructed my team members to help the affected sectors before I saw my colleague Corporal (Mohd) Qaiyum (A’ikal Zolkipli) suddenly collapse after being shot in the shoulder.
“What we didn’t realise was that we were caught in an ambush... a rain of bullets came down on us,” he said at the General Operations Force (GOF) base in Ulu Kinta here.
Rani said the armed intruders, followers of the self-proclaimed Sulu Sultanate under Jamalul Kiram III, seemed well-trained in the battlefield.
“That was the first time I encountered such a situation.
“We usually face smaller groups and based on my experience, what I can say is that they (the terrorists) were brave.
“Having 20 years of experience (in VAT 69), I know our team is well-trained to deal with it and we were the first team to enter the area, followed by GOF and the army,” he said, adding that two of his colleagues, Assistant Superintendent Zulkifli Mamat and Sergeant Sabaruddin Daud, were killed in the operation.
Rani said he would always remember his colleagues’ deaths and the sound of bullets whizzing past him.
“I was lucky. Nothing hit me. But the bullets came too close to me. I don’t want to highlight this tragedy as it lingers in my mind and two of my colleagues were killed in the incident.”
Following the incident, Rani said a remembrance ceremony for the 2013 Lahad Datu and Semporna intrusion would be held at the GOF base here on Friday.
The Lahad Datu intrusion began on Feb 11, 2013, when more than 200 armed men landed in eastern Sabah.
Op Daulat, the operation against the intruders, ended on June 29, 2013.
The Eastern Sabah Security Command was set up following the incident. It is responsible for security in the area.
The Lahad Datu incident saw 72 deaths — 56 of the intruders, 10 from Malaysian security forces and the remainder being civilians.