Brotherhood in the trenches: A Sabahan’s experience
Like many young men in his unit, emin Madi burned with the desire to protect a fledgling Malaysian nation when he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion Malaysian Rangers in 1965.
Born into a kadazandusun family in Sabah’s interior Tambunan, emin decided to take up arms against the communist insurgents.
Aged only 16 at the time, he was sent for a nine-month basic army training at Suvla Line Camp in ipoh, Perak, before being deployed into active duty.
emin said Malaysia faced communist insurgencies at the time from the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) in the peninsula, North kalimantan Communist Party (NKCP) and Sarawak Communist Organisation.
“The 3rd Rangers were involved in tracking down NKCP in Sarawak as well as CPM in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Given it was the first time he had ever stepped foot outside Sabah, the young emin heaved a sigh of relief when he was placed in a barrack with other recruits from his home state and Sarawak.
“That was the first time i met an iban with tattoos all over his body,” the 73-year-old veteran journalist recalled.
But months before completing the training in ipoh and much to his annoyance, he suddenly found himself segregated from his Sabah and Sarawak mates when he was put in another barrack housing personnel from the peninsula.
emin said although his new dormitory was located adjacent to his old one, he was upset as it felt like being sent to unfamiliar territory.
“i thought that i would be placed with my Sabahan colleagues permanently.
“My biggest concern was integrating with the ‘Orang Malaya’ batch.
“And for that matter, i was wondering whether they would welcome a kadazandusun from Sabah,” he said.
But not only did they manage to overcome the cultural barrier over time, the young men from various backgrounds achieved something more important – brotherhood.
The trust that they developed among each other would prove to be life-saving as they navigated thick jungles trying to track down communists both along the Malaysia-thailand border and in Sarawak.
emin was later stationed at Bunan Gega in kuching and Tong Nibong in Serian after completing his training.
“Over the years, the bond became stronger as i made it a point to be with them not as a Sabahan but as a Malaysian who was part of 3rd Rangers.
“My spoken Bahasa Melayu improved and i learned more about Malay culture.
“i certainly found the kelantanese dialect intriguing,” he said.
added that experiences like working in a tight-knit group and facing difficult and dangerous situations together only made their bond stronger.
emin resigned from active duty in 1971 and attended a journalism course at the South east Asia Press Centre (now the Malaysian Press institute) in kuala Lumpur in 1973, before going on to have a long career with Sabah Times, stretching some 20 years, including as Bahasa Melayu sub-editor.
He also worked as press secretary to Tan Sri kasitah Gaddam, the former Land and Cooperative Development minister from 1998 to 2003.
He then became a stringer for Bernama and is still with the government news agency.
Looking back, emin said the memorable experiences he went through with his comrades would always have a special place in his heart.
“it was important, especially in the context of integration since the 3rd Rangers comprised personnel from Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula.
“it was a lesson in accommodating and adapting.
“Thanks to the multi-ethnic background of the 3rd Battalion Malaysian Rangers, i discovered the true meaning of comradeship throughout my five-year stint as a Malaysian soldier,” he said.