©New
Sunday Times (Used by permission)
by Kamaruddin Mohd Jamal
DESPITE current ripples in the political climate, the country remains totally
secure and peaceful, compared with May 13 exactly 39 years ago. Let us keep it
that way.
May 13, 1969, will always be remembered as the blackest day in our
post–independence history. Much water has passed under the bridge since then and
we would like to think that we are that much wiser, as a people and a nation,
because of it.
This event, as such, must never be in any way slanted or distorted, especially
given its polarised complexion.
The truth can be so easily desecrated, especially when written retrospectively
against the comfort of present–day peace and harmony, void of the reality of the
time, and given an unbridled interpretation based on third–party random personal
glimpses and snatches of fleeting partial observations.
In the book, The Reluctant Politician – Tun Dr Ismail and His Time (Ooi Kee Beng,
2007), the author fleetingly, but tellingly, singled out a quote from a letter
of one Eric Griffith–Jones to Dr Ismail on the performance of the army during
the May 13 disturbance in these words:
"However, he added as a private message to Ismail that the army is reported by
the same sources to have been responsible for excessive force against the
Chinese – it does seem on the best information that I have that the Malay
Regiment rather lost its head."
This quote, which had seemed somewhat unnecessarily sneaked in, was really quite
unfortunate.
Throughout its history, the Royal Malay Regiment and the army in general, had
never acted with any political, religious or racial agenda.
The quote is most damning for the RMR and casts aspersions on its integrity and
professionalism. It is an affront to the sacrifices of its officers and soldiers
who had dutifully and unfailingly served in defence of the country for the last
75 years.
To be fair to the officers and soldiers of the RMR, and the army in general, we
need to put this quote into proper perspective.
The circumstances were such that, as a last resort, the responsibility to
salvage and restore law and order was formally and officially handed over by the
government to the military – a situation of near–anarchy when violence, ignited
by the flame of distrust, fear and hatred, was running wild, threatening to
spread and engulf the entire country.
It was an extreme situation the country had never before seen or experienced,
which needed a swift and firm response that few understood, expected, or were
ready to accept.
In executing the mandate and responsibility given to them under this extremely
volatile and fast deteriorating condition, the army had to exercise the needed
firmness by uncompromisingly going by the book, guided always by the key
principles of impartiality, prevention and minimum force, as dictated in their
operating procedures.
They had very clear guidelines for their roles and the various steps they needed
to take at each stage under varying escalating scenarios; and, they operated by
those guidelines, completing the job and handing back the responsibility to the
government within four months.
The issue of excessive force clearly would not arise, except in the eyes of
those who did not wish to fully understand or appreciate the gravity of the
situation.
Unwavering firmness under such grave conditions was necessary and unavoidable.
Nevertheless, the assertions of excessive force and the implied lack of
impartiality had, indeed, been made.
One such accusation included a very threatening incident on the morning of the
third day when the RMR troops were accused of excessive force – but this time
against the Malays in Kampung Baru.
The accusation and threat was made to my face, the face of a RMR officer, by a
large crowd of aggressive and belligerent Malay youths.
So much for the implied lack of impartiality, when they were similarly accused
by both Chinese and Malays for their actions.
And what about the other facets of their activities outside the more
confrontational law–and–order enforcement roles?
Despite their uncompromising firmness in handling certain situations, the
compassionate and humane face was more the norm rather than the exception.
Far from being callous, RMR officers and soldiers, and their comrades of other
races from the other units, were always at hand round the clock, ready to assist
anyone and everyone in every way necessary with the utmost care and compassion,
and in a fair and consistent manner at all times, and towards all.
In the Chinese area of Jalan Chow Kit, for which the 5th Battalion RMR was
responsible, the procedures and conduct were no different than in the Malay area
of Kampung Baru or elsewhere.
The following are some examples of their conduct and activities involving the
Chinese residents of the Jalan Chow Kit area that may, perhaps, help make this
point.
– The residents there were advised, like elsewhere in similar situations, to
remain indoors and to display a piece of white cloth or some signs if they
needed food or whatever kind of help.
Apart from the security patrols, soldiers would make their daily rounds at
regular intervals to provide food, water and medicines as needed, and help to
resolve whatever concerns the residents had.
– In one case, the residents of an enclave in the area were trapped in their
shop–lots with little food and had wanted to abandon their shops to seek safety
elsewhere.
The Commanding Officer of the battalion (CO) advised them not to do so, saying
that these were their homes and that they should stay put.
To allay their fears, he ordered soldiers with fixed bayonets to remain on guard
in the general area on a continuous basis, with orders to ensure the safety of
the residents and their properties and, if necessary, to open fire on anyone
threatening them.
– In another instance, a young curfew–breaker, caught by patrolling soldiers,
petrified and near–incoherent, managed to stutter that he was sending food to
his grandmother.
When informed of this, the CO himself accompanied the boy to a room and met the
grandmother, chair–bound and half–blind! It seemed that the boy had been taking
risks daily to visit and care for his grandmother.
They waited until she had finished her meal and then four of the RMR soldiers
carried the woman in her chair to the CO's Landrover to be sent to a nearby
four–storey building for safety and to be better looked after.
Upon reaching the building, these Malay soldiers again lifted the Chinese lady
and carried her upstairs, amid approving loud cheers and claps from the
residents.
– There were numerous other such routine acts and activities carried out daily
by the soldiers throughout the period they were there that gained the trust and
confidence of the residents and provided them a measure of comfort during those
difficult days.
This trust and confidence could be best summed up by the fact that when it was
thought that the Chow Kit area had improved sufficiently to be handed back to
the police, and preparations were made accordingly, the residents appealed to
Tun Abdul Razak for the 5th Battalion to stay on; and, this appeal was granted.
– When finally it was time for the battalion to pull out, the Jalan Chow Kit
Goodwill Committee organised a goodwill gathering with officers of the battalion
in Jalan Raja Laut. Cheng Eng Hock, the chairman of the committee, presented a
scroll to the CO with notes of thanks and appreciation to the battalion for
helping the residents, and for looking after the area during the period of
disturbances.
– The battalion, in turn, organised a reciprocal goodwill tea party the
following Saturday at the Sultan Sulaiman Club. The residents of both the Chow
Kit area and Kampung Baru were invited, and they turned up in full force –
Malays, Chinese, and Indians.
These examples may not mean anything to those bent on seeing and reporting only
the perceived negative sides but they serve to illustrate the many different
sides of this same equation, one that should never be made to seem so
conclusively and conveniently simple.
Neither are they meant to eulogise the RMR battalion involved, or the army in
general.
They are simply to point out that in discharging their responsibilities during
this very sensitive and difficult period, they had to carry out many different
roles – some pleasant, others less so, and some outright painful – but always by
the book.
The regiment had acted with the same professionalism and dedication, precisely
as they were trained and prepared, entrusted and mandated, committed solely to
ensuring the well–being of the nation.
And, at the very least, their contributions should be impartially and fairly
judged.
*Major (R) Datuk Kamaruddin Mohd Jamal is the president of the Royal Malay
Regiment Officers Club.