Humbling experience
Soldier: Biggest honour was being selected to fight for country y
Soldiers who defended country’s sovereignty from Sulu intrusion get medals.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prebet Muhamad Rafiezat Mohd Nasir has played parade guard in numerous award ceremonies for fellow soldiers but this time he was the one on stage receiving a medal.
The Pandura 10 Briged Para reconnaissance unit soldier was one of 20 presented with the Pingat Kedaulatan Negara on Warriors Day for their services in Ops Daulat in Lahad Datu.
“When I received my orders to go to Lahad Datu, that was the biggest honour for me to be fighting for my country on the frontline. I imagined it would be a great honour to receive a medal but it is actually very humbling,” said Muhamad Rafiezat, 24.
Recounting his experience in Tanjong Batu during the March 1 skirmish, PbtMuhamad Rafiezat said it was the most “terrifying” moment of his life.
“I was there for recon work in the area when they attacked in the evening. It was chaos; we didn’t know what was going on. I could see the intruders some 60m away. We fought all through the night,” said the soldier of three years.
Armed Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said the Pingat Kedaulatan Negara would be given in stages to around 8,000 Armed Forces personnel who took part in Ops Daulat.
“This medal is a recognition by the Federal Government to soldiers who defended the country’s sovereignty from the Sulu intrusion in February,” Jen Zulkifle said after the ceremony at the DBKL Theatre yesterday.
The medal is made of copper and plated in silver, with the national emblem on the front and the map of Sabah at the back with the words Operasi Daulat.
Other officers who received the medal during the ceremony were Lt-Kol Aminullah Hj Omar, Komm Fadhil Abd Rahman, Mej Mohd Firdaus Ismail, Lt-Komm Mohamad HambaliMd Isa, Lt-KommMuhamad Ashraf Mahmud, Mej Wan Azman Azwari Wan Ali, Lokman Alwi, Mohd Tarmizi Mat Isa, Flight Sgt Sofian Tantawi, Sgt Edward Retau Jawa, Sgt Mohd Yusoff Abd Ghani, Kpl Mohd Jamil Jais, Kpl Nordin Shoting, Kpl Mohd Fairul Puti Ali, Lans Kpl Mohamad Syukri Ali, Pbt Abd Yazis Abd Razak and bombardier Shahrom Salim.
Shahrom, 30, said getting a medal was the last thing on his mind as the country’s security was his main focus.
“We were there from the start of the intrusion until the end. We didn’t think about awards, of life or death; we thought about our troops and the people we were protecting,” he said.