Kg Tanduo residents still traumatised by Lahad Datu incursion

Taken captive and almost getting slaughtered by Sulu terrorists remain a recurring nightmare that still traumatises the people of Lahad Datu even though the bloody tragedy in Kampung Tanduo happened 10 years ago.

Recalling the horrible experience where he was almost slaughtered by Sulu militants in front of his house in Kampung Tanjung Batu, Ajmain Mahmod, 45, said he was at home when a group of militants in camouflage uniforms and armed with firearms and machetes appeared in front of his house.

He said one of the members of the group then called him and slapped him twice before threatening him with a machete on his neck for allegedly reporting their presence to the police.

"He said because of me, their friend was shot when the fact was I did not lodge the report. He released me, then rounded all of us (captive residents) up in one house and told us our enemy was the government. One of them introduced himself as General Musa and told us not to be afraid," he told Bernama.

Thankfully, before the incident, Ajmain had sent his father to a neighbouring village while his wife and daughter had earlier left for the Fajar Harapan hall provided by the government. He had returned to his house not expecting that terrorists would come.

Ajmain then took his only chance to save himself by fleeing to the Fajar Harapan hall in Felda Sahabat 22 after lying to offer to buy rice because the terrorist said they were hungry and had not eaten rice for days.

"After that, I stayed at my eldest brother's house. I felt safe when I was indoors but was scared when I went out of the house," he said.

After the situation had calmed down and the residents were allowed to return to their respective homes, the fear remained. He did not sleep well at night and felt restless when he heard strange noises. This lasted for three months.

"I don't want this incident to recur, I'm still traumatised to go anywhere. The past has taught me enough to be grateful for the security we have today," said Ajmain who is now a member of the Rela.

He said the presence of the Eastern Sabah Security Command provides a sense of security to the residents who now feel confident that such incidents will not happen again.

Karman Muksan, 62, meanwhile, said she had left her home in Kampung Tanjung Batu with her nephew earlier to Fajar Harapan hall at night after hearing that the Sulu terrorists had encroached the village but her husband insisted on staying back.

"After I left the village, the following day, about 20 terrorists emerged from the forest. At that time he (husband) was sweeping the front part of the shop and had wondered what these soldiers were doing in the forest and where they had come from. It was only when the militants were up close did he realise that they were not our soldiers. They marched into the store and took all the food as they were hungry.

"Our house became their gathering place, my husband became their prisoner for three days. They kept an eye on him even while he was praying. My husband couldn’t eat for three days as he was afraid but on the third day he managed to flee," said Karman, adding that her husband died in 2017.

She said her husband, who she only named as “Uncle Amir”, at that time walked for almost two days through farms and arrived at Fajar Harapan at night, and broke down as soon as he saw her.

Karman said the terrorists also rummaged through his grocery store, especially for food items such as rice and canned foods. Karman found many household items missing and destroyed upon returning home.

"We were overcome with sadness seeing the house destroyed and the roof gone. There were holes in the walls. Nothing was left, no cooking pots. Our crockery and clothes had been destroyed. We couldn’t stop cursing!" she recalled.

She also expressed her gratitude to the government for making every effort to ensure the safety of the residents including setting up security posts in Tanjung Labian and Tanjung Batu, in addition to the curfew enforced in the coastal area.

The tragedy that killed 10 members of the Malaysian security forces and 68 Sulu militants occurred after about 100 Sulu terrorists from the Southern Philippines landed on the beach of Kampung Tanduo, about 130km from Lahad Datu on Feb 12, 2013.

The conflict was declared over on April 10, 2013.

- Bernama