Iban war hero to be honoured with military state funeral

KUCHING: The remains of war hero Datuk Awang Raweng, who died on Friday aged 104, was brought to Dewan Suarah here to lie in state so that people can pay their last respects to the nation’s sole George Cross medal recipient.

The body of Awang, a former member of the elite Iban trackers during the British colonial era, was brought to the hall from his hometown in Sri Aman yesterday.

Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, who will represent the state government in leading the memorial service, said Awang would be honoured with a state funeral conducted military protocol.

Among the state dignitaries who paid their last respects were Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing and former deputy chief minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.

Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg is expected to pay his last respects today, before Awang’s body is taken to St Thomas Church and then laid to rest at the Heroes Grave at Taman Budaya here.

Awang died at his son, Panggau Awang’s residence in Taman Padri,

with

Sri Aman.

He came to Malaya as an Iban Tracker around December 1950 before being absorbed into the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was awarded the George Cross, named after King George VI, for gallantry by the Queen of England in November 1951. It was in recognition of his fight against 50 communist terrorists in the Kluang jungle, Johor, alone while defending an injured British soldier, despite sustaining serious injuries himself.

Awang was reported to have flown to London 20 times to attend the reunion of the First Battalion of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiments. His presence at the event was not as a regular guest, instead he was considered a dignitary and celebrated as a hero.

He also received a special monthly allowance of £100 (RM494) from the British government.

Awang was also the recipient of the Panglima Setia Bintang Sarawak award, which carries the title Datuk bestowed by Sarawak Yang diPertua Negri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud in 2018. He also received the Malaysian Service Medal. – Bernama