IPOH: A former commando urges the public to never fan racial hatred that can threaten the precious peace achieved from the blood, sweat and tears of every member in the army.
“All those negative thoughts, racism ... do not create them.
“If the racial unity is broken, it can throw Malaysia into chaos.
“We should all live together happily as Malaysians,” said Paul Karpaya (pic).
Recalling his service days, Paul said it was duty above everything else.
“I was worried and felt sorry for my wife who had to give birth to our first child without me by her side. That was in 1984,” he added.
Paul, 67, explained that when his wife D. Letchimy was about to give birth to their eldest daughter, he was part of the 22 Commando Regiment unit and was on a special assignment in Tapah.
“I was so worried thinking what will happen to my wife and child, should anything happen to me ... that I could not see them. At the same time, I know as a trained commando, the task at hand was more important.
“I was praying hard that God will save my wife and child and that I could perform my assignment well.
“Only after my daughter was one-month-old did I manage to return to my hometown in Kampar to see them,” he said here recently.
Paul, who joined the Malaysian Armed Forces in 1973 before serving the commando unit in 1976, said his most memorable operation was in 1979 while being assigned to Ops Selamat Sawadee, together with the Thai Army, to track and fight communists in the bordering forest of Perak and Thailand.
He was a corporal who had just completed the three-year basic commando training at the special warfare training centre, Sungai Udang Camp in Melaka.
“At the time, we were eager to participate in every operation because we wanted to show what we were capable of,” he said.
The father of four said his band-of-five from the 22 Commando was assigned to assist the 21 Commando unit that was attacked by the communists.
“We were informed that we would be dealing with about 50 communists, but as we arrived, they retreated when they heard the sound of the helicopter.
“Most of them fled to the bordering country.
“What was left was their front line defence, their task was to frustrate us. Each time we made a move, bullets were flying and one of us was shot in the leg.
“We tried to track them but they were pretty good and planted lots of bobby traps.
“They had their own route to cross the Thai border. Once they crossed the border, the highest authorities (of both countries) had to negotiate,” he explained.
Paul, who retired at the age of 42 in 1996 after 22 years of service, said every single experience he had while serving as a commando was priceless, and even the Green Beret he used to wear is irreplaceable.
“If I lose any other piece of the military attire, it will still be OK by me, but not the Green Beret.
“I cannot bear to lose the beret because it was very difficult to obtain. There was so much you had to go through,” he said. — Bernama
“All those negative thoughts, racism ... do not create them.
“We should all live together happily as Malaysians,” said Paul Karpaya (pic).
“I was worried and felt sorry for my wife who had to give birth to our first child without me by her side. That was in 1984,” he added.
Paul, 67, explained that when his wife D. Letchimy was about to give birth to their eldest daughter, he was part of the 22 Commando Regiment unit and was on a special assignment in Tapah.
“I was so worried thinking what will happen to my wife and child, should anything happen to me ... that I could not see them. At the same time, I know as a trained commando, the task at hand was more important.
“I was praying hard that God will save my wife and child and that I could perform my assignment well.
“Only after my daughter was one-month-old did I manage to return to my hometown in Kampar to see them,” he said here recently.
Paul, who joined the Malaysian Armed Forces in 1973 before serving the commando unit in 1976, said his most memorable operation was in 1979 while being assigned to Ops Selamat Sawadee, together with the Thai Army, to track and fight communists in the bordering forest of Perak and Thailand.
He was a corporal who had just completed the three-year basic commando training at the special warfare training centre, Sungai Udang Camp in Melaka.
“At the time, we were eager to participate in every operation because we wanted to show what we were capable of,” he said.
The father of four said his band-of-five from the 22 Commando was assigned to assist the 21 Commando unit that was attacked by the communists.
“We were informed that we would be dealing with about 50 communists, but as we arrived, they retreated when they heard the sound of the helicopter.
“Most of them fled to the bordering country.
“What was left was their front line defence, their task was to frustrate us. Each time we made a move, bullets were flying and one of us was shot in the leg.
“We tried to track them but they were pretty good and planted lots of bobby traps.
“They had their own route to cross the Thai border. Once they crossed the border, the highest authorities (of both countries) had to negotiate,” he explained.
Paul, who retired at the age of 42 in 1996 after 22 years of service, said every single experience he had while serving as a commando was priceless, and even the Green Beret he used to wear is irreplaceable.
“If I lose any other piece of the military attire, it will still be OK by me, but not the Green Beret.
“I cannot bear to lose the beret because it was very difficult to obtain. There was so much you had to go through,” he said. — Bernama
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