Poser over medal conferred during communist insurgency
SARIKEI: A senior citizen is wondering whether the bravery medal ( Pingat Keberanian) conferred on him by the then Head of State some 40 years ago is comparable to other gallantry medals awarded to police or army personnel.
Narawi Eli, 85, told The Borneo Post that the medal was conferred on him by Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Haji Bujang Tuanku Othman on November 10, 1972.
The award was conferred in recognition of his service during the first general election in the state, Narawi said, adding the election team he was attached to was ambushed by communist terrorists in Sungai Petai area in the outskirts of Sarikei, he said.
Saying he was then an outboard driver of the Forest Department, he related he was assigned as a driver of an election team for Repok constituency.
The election was staggered over a period of four weeks from May 10 to June 7, 1969 but due to the May 13 riot in the Peninsula, polling was suspended and resumed on June 6, 1970.
The staggered election was supposed to conclude on July 4, 1970.
As they travelled from one polling centre to another, they were shrouded with fear as at that time, Sarikei was ‘infested’ by communist terrorists, Narawi said.
Despite the communist terrorists’ threat which they feared most, polling had been a peaceful affair throughout until June 29, 1970 when his team was ambushed on their way back to Sarikei, he narrated.
He said this happened after they had completed conducting the election and were on their journey back in a packed longboat around 2pm.
A few minutes into their journey,
We were ambushed by the terrorists who fired at us from close range because the river was very narrow. Narawi Eli
he said what they feared over the past few days became a reality.
“We were ambushed by the terrorists who fired at us from close range because the river was very narrow,” he related, saying the bullets which came raining on them tore part of the longboat’s roof and bore holes in the hull.
Worst of all, the bullets hit their team leader who was the presiding officer, Narawi said, adding he was shot in the abdomen and chest and died on the spot.
Narawi, who survived the ambush, said four of the tenmember team perished in the attack.
The other casualties were two polling clerks and a security personnel.
Others who survived the ambush were a senior army officer, a police constable, a polling clerk and an army personnel.
Another police personnel survived by jumping into the river and swam to safety to a nearby longhouse, he said.