17112019 Caribou Reunion, Sempang

An interview with Colonel 'Man Dragon'. Video extracted and courtesy of  'Selamat Pagi Malaysia'

The gathering, video courtesy of 'Berita Harian Online'

02112019, NST - '1st RMN chief: Don't distort history for political gain'

Article and photo courtesy of 'NST' dated 02112019.

By Adrian David - November 2, 2019 @ 1:00pm

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Factually written historical records should not be distorted to suit political or religious agendas.

This is the take of the country’s first local Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief, Rear Admiral (Rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam, who turned 83 on March 12.

Thanabalasingam, popularly called Bob Thana in naval circles, said history was the study of past events.

“To make sense of current affairs, we must remember our history as everything happening around us today is, one way or another, related to our past.

“Therefore, historical records should be factually written and generations later, countries should not distort history to suit their needs,” he said at the Malaya at War conference at the Royale Chulan Hotel here recently.

Thanabalasingam added that there should be no shame in what had happened in the past, whether decades or centuries ago.

“Historical denial is a felonious distortion of history as it inhibits us to learn from the past.

“(Former British prime minister) Winston Churchill once said that those who failed to learn from history were doomed to repeat it.

“Somehow, humans have an astonishing tendency to ignore the obvious signs, which can lead to war and subjugation,” said Thanabalasingam.

He called on government and military leaders to identify the warning signals and attempt to avert conflicts, failing which disasters would prevail.

WAR EXPERIENCE AT A TENDER AGE

 

Thanabalasingam recounted how he, at the age of 5, had experienced the perils of torment during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya during World War 2 in 1941.

“The war disrupted my education, which I eventually completed at Victoria Institution here later on before joining the navy,” he said.

He also said he had witnessed traumatic moments during the war and his family had to shift home several times to escape danger.

“While living in a government bungalow in Kampung Attap one day, I remember once looking at the sky and being fascinated by some glittering objects floating down from an aircraft, unaware that they were actually bombs.

“My father frantically grabbed and dragged me into an air-raid shelter,” he recalled.

His family shifted to, among others, Effingham Estate (now Damansara) and several places in the city.

“While at home one day, I witnessed from my upstairs balcony, how armed Japanese soldiers were physically abusing some cyclists.

“I just stood there frozen by what I was seeing. My father then spotted me and whisked me off quietly inside the house.

“He made sure I understood that if the Japanese soldiers had spotted me observing them, our family will be in serious trouble,” said Thanabalasingam.

LIFE IN THE NAVY

Thanabalasingam said as he grew up, he further experienced the two Emergencies (1948-1960 and 1967-1989) and the Confrontation with Indonesia (1963-1966).

“Those were trying times for the country,” said Thanabalasingam, who joined the RMN in Singapore on May 1, 1955 and became one of the pioneer nine cadets sent to Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) at Dartmouth in England in December that year.

After graduating from BRNC on May 1, 1958, Thanabalasingam served briefly onboard the British frigate HMS Chichester before the RMN was established on July 1 that same year.

“I was invited to be transferred from the British Royal Navy to the Malayan outfit in October 1958.

“My first posting was as an instructor at the Federation Military College in Port Dickson in 1959 before I was posted out for sea duties in April 1960, for six years,” said Thanabalasingam.

BEING GROOMED TO HELM THE RMN

He recalled vividly how, when he was serving as the resident naval officer, as well as KD Tawau’s commanding officer in Sabah, the government had earmarked him to eventually helm the RMN.

“It was a time when (the then prime minister) Tunku Abdul Rahman (Putra Al-haj) wanted local sons to helm the tri-services — the army, navy and air force.

“I was groomed to helm the RMN, while (Air Vice-Marshal Tan Sri) Sulaiman Sujak for the Royal Malaysian Air Force, (General Tan Sri) Hamid Bidin as Army chief and Tunku’s nephew (General Tan Sri) Tunku Osman Jewa as the armed forces chief,” he said.

Within 1967, Thanabalasingam was meteorically promoted a record four times (from lieutenant to lieutenant-commander, then to commander, captain and commodore) to become RMN chief on Dec 1 the very year at the age of 31.

He, however, prematurely retired in 1976 at the age of 40, along with Sulaiman at age 42.

“I had just returned from a familiarisation visit to Australia and New Zealand when the government appointed me as RMN chief.

“I was fortunate to have an Australian, (now retired Rear-Admiral) Guy Richmond Griffiths as a naval adviser for two years,” said Thanabalasingam, who was able to renew his acquaintance with Griffiths, 96, after 52 years at the conference.

EXPANDING THE NAVY

 

When Britain decided to withdraw its forces East of Suez in 1968, Thanabalasingam had his hands full in the RMN’s rapid expansion.

During the RMN’s infancy, it had several operational vessels, a naval base and just over 1,500 personnel.

“One of my first major tasks was to procure surface-to-surface missiles to thwart communist terrorists infiltrating arms and personnel by sea across southern Thailand, on the east and west coasts of the peninsula.

“The terrorists preferred to come by sea as the Malaysia-Thailand border was tightly controlled by the security forces,” he said.

Thanabalasingam said similarly in Sarawak, the RMN played a pivotal role in using its vessels to transport troops, vehicles and artillery equipment 112km up Sungai Rejang.

“At that time, the RMAF did not have heavy-lift capable aircraft to get the job done.

“Thus, the army relied on the RMN’s riverine boats like the landing or riverine craft personnel, landing craft mechanised and workboats for its operational requirements.

“Our vessels were often the target of the terrorists who took pot-shots from lofty vantage points along the river,” he said.

He added that the RMN had established a base in Sibu, eventually expanding its fleet from 18 vessels to 32 by 1974.

When Tun Abdul Razak Hussain succeeded Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister, as well as defence minister, he initiated the establishment of the Rejang Area Security Command (Rascom) in March 1972 to fortify Sarawak’s security.

THANABALASINGAM’S MILESTONES

 

Thanabalasingam, who was trained as an anti-submarine specialist and diver in 1963, had steamed the newly acquired
KD Sri Kelantan home from Britain.

He was instrumental in the planning and construction of the naval bases in Lumut, Perak, and Kuantan, Pahang, as the RMN relocated out of Singapore’s Woodlands and Sembawang bases.

He had introduced the MM38 Exocet missiles into the RMN during his tenure and even had recommended that the navy be equipped with submarines, way back then.

At one time as RMN chief, he was briefly appointed as acting armed forces chief when Hamid who succeeded Tunku Osman, was away overseas.

To date, he remains the youngest and longest serving RMN chief, as well as the only non-Malay service chief.

He is a member of the prestigious “Chiefs Circle”, reserved for retired tri-services and armed forces chiefs and is life patron of the Retired RMN Officers Association.

28102019 - De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou , A talk on freeview 'Selamat Malam Malaysia , 11 pm 27/10/2019'

Poster courtesy of Facebook 'TUDM'

 

Photos credit to 'HangPC2' with thanks

Almarhum Skot Mohd Tarmizi Muda leaning on nose of ac, 2nd from right

Ye Olde Guarde. Kapt (R) Sukaimi Yahaya, 4th form left was my former Flying Instructor, 1 FTC

The interview courtesy of RMAF

27102019 - Walimah anak Setap Macklin Hj Amzah

Invitation card courtesy of Setap Jasmani Macklin Hj Amzah. Other photos courtesy of skots Shabre, Yusri and Zambri.

Setap Macklin with Skot Shabre Hussein

 L-R Skots Mohd Yusoff Rabaie, Zambri Hassan, Ibrahim Idris, Othman Alang Mahat, Mohd Radi

Standing Mohd Zain Mokhtar

In blue is Skot Yusri Anwar

Skot Roslan Hussein Merican, Army, Hang Jebat Coy

It all started when skots were discussing on Skot Roslan Merican as per below conversation:

I googled his name n found this, Skot Roslan 2nd from right (photo credit to 'MujiTaiping' with thanks)

I searched facebook and found in his account a few 'mutual friends' as follows:

According to his facebook, he is currently working in RHB Bank. I did PM him but no reply as yet (Credit on photo below to Skot PK Roslan with thanks.)

PS - He replied n confirmed it is he.

19102019 - Skot Zack n Skot Husam Breakfast in JB

Photo credit Skot Zack

'The Dirty Dozen....'

Photo credit Skot Mohd Khalil Mustaffa

'The Dirty Dozen' starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Trini Lopez, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, Robert Webber Lee Marvin'

😂😂😂😂😂

Front Row L-R Salleh Mamat RMAF, Unknown, Unknown, Azm Ahmad RMAF, Hashim Hamdan RMAF, Abdillah Ismail Arty

Second Row L-R Zaidan Zainuddin RAMD, Mohd Khalil Mustafa RAMD, Unknown, Abdul Suhaimi Mohd Padzil RAMD
Back Unknown

Skots' pow wow at Skot Md Salleh residence in Taman Bukit Jana, Taiping, 13th Oct 219

Photo credit to Skot Ghozali via Skot Zamri

 Skot Abdul Wahab Abdul Aziz Arty, Skot Ghozali Hamdan Engineer, SKot Ibrahim Idris Arty, Skot Md Salleh, RMAF, Skot Othman Alang Mahat Army, Skot Mohd Yusoff Rabaie RMAF, Skot Radi Ahmad RAMD

Rekindling old memories..

Skot A: ' Hang ingat tak satu hari tu hang jatuh tersadong masuk dalam lubang boya tu? hang ingat tak, hang ingat tak? Sebenaqnya aku bentes kaki hang sbb aku geram aku mintak roti pelanta pagi tu hang tak bagi'.

Skot B: ' Oooooo aku tak ingatla. Tapi kalau aku tau hang pedajai aku masa tu mampuih aku hempok hang. la dah tua... tak larat dah. aku nak langkah longkang pon seriau.. aduihhh aduihhh.. mai tongkat aku sat'

Xdak kaitan org yg idop tau mati 😎

😂😂😂

'My son with skot Dato Seri Mutalib' ~ JaenalMat, 22nd Oct 2019

Photo credit to Skot Zainal Mat. Both Skot Mutalib and Skot Zainal Mat were from the same Coy, Syed Putra

Skot Muhammad Othman Alang Mahat, Army, Hang Tuah Coy

Photo credit to SecGen

Understands he is currently residing in Parit Buntar

Skot Md Salleh Hj Hamid, Abdul Rahman Coy

Photo Courtesy of Skot Zamri

Was informed Skot Md Salleh is currently residing in Taiping and a pensioner after serving 'Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan'. He had also underwent heart bypass ops and is recovering. May Allah heal him aameen

Masjid Bandar Sendayan, As Solatul Jumu'ah , 20th Sept 2019

Photo credit skot Redza.

Sedikit coretan ttg Masjid Sri Senayan

PAT with Mej Che Rose Baba

News and photos courtesy of  JHEV

 

Sungai Petani, 16 Sept 19 –JHEV ATM Cawangan Negeri Kedah/Perlis/Pulau Pinang dengan kerjasama Hospital Sungai Petani telah melaksanakan Program Semarak Kasih - Kempen Derma Darah Veteran ATM bertempat di Aman Jaya Mall, Kedah. Majlis telah dirasmikan oleh YBhg Jen Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Hj Zulkifli bin Hj Zainal Aidin, Panglima Angkatan Tentera (PAT).

Turut hadir YB Tuan Karupaiya A/L Mutusami, ahli Parlimen Padang Serai, presiden-presiden persatuan veteran ATM dan orang ramai.

3000899 Kapt Zainal Ibrahim, Commando

Found him at last via Skot Sani whose wife is Skot Zainal's school mate. Photos courtesy from Skot Zainal with thanks 

31082019...'Murdikah!', 'Murdikah!', 'Murdikah!'

Photo credit to Sec Gen with thanks

'Tanggal 31
Bulan lapan lima puluh tujuh
Merdeka! Merdeka!
Tetaplah merdeka
Ia pasti menjadi sejarah'

Photo Credit to Skot Fadzil with thanks. 

Bercambah Service Medal 😉

One of the last two mohicans.. Photo courtesy of RMAF

And our skot Norizan choose to Base Jump on this 'Murdikah!' day
Video clip courtesy of Mr Akmal Jamal Hassan with thanks

Mej Mohd Ibrahim Mokhtar

Photo credit to skot AHO with thanks. Heard he is now residing in Kajang active in Daawah Tabligh

Tok Misai.... 😀

Photo courtesy of and credit to Puan Rozila Abdullah with thanks.

The one and only 'Tok Misai'. According to Puan Rozila Abdullah, photo was taken during Deputy Army Chief son's wedding do today. Bring back memories when after our daily drill platoon 2 were made to fallin at our barrack which was rather unusual. Once Tok Misai arrived he let go a barrage at us for being ungrateful n arrogant even before we were commissioned as officers. So happen he got news from the duty guard personnel the night before who had passed by the barracks he had unexpectedly eaves dropped during the wee of the night, a few of the cadets shoe polishing their boots, voicing their frustration at a few instructors inclusive of tok misai. 'Kalau aku jadi pegawai aku bagi pumping kat diorang. padan muka!' 😂😂😂😂

So he meted out punishment  by making us crawled from one end to to the other and back under our our double decker capoi 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Those were the days my friends.. hahaha May Allah azzawajal shower u with rahmah, magfirah n in good health, aameen

Lighter side of....

Skot Hamid : 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....'

Skot Amer   : 'skot godadi tak dengaq apa suara pon ... aaa signal strength kosong , strength kosong, out''

Cerita 'Fatigue...'

Disatu petang Juma'at , spt biasa lepas solat Juma'at maka berkumpul lah anak2 buah utk kerja2 'fatigue'.  'Leceh betoi ' keluh si mamu chippy.. 'dak kalu aku dah boleh balik tanjung dahh..'. 'Sabaq chippy..'. 'baq mak baqqqq ... dah,dah, dah! jom pi buat kerja.. cepat perabih boleh balik cepat... pi angkat cangkui korek kat sana tu... satni OC mai riuh satni... iskk'..

Maka seketika kemudian OC pon mai la sambil turun motor kapcai sangkut helmet kat cermin. 'Awat la ampa mengulaq ka ... suma mai ada?'.'Skot sedia!! ptg tuan! suma ada..'.'ok2 senang diri..' bos pun nyala rokok sambil dok bawah pokok ceri (benson ka dunhill , lupa :D). sambil menikmati asap racun dan perati anak2 buah buat kerja, selang berberapa minit kemudian 'laaa ampa ni buat keja mcm tak bermaya ja'. 'penat la tuan'. 'awat tak penat, aku tgk cara hang cangkui pon aku tau. tak ikut teknik. patut la letih... mai cangkui ni aku tunjuk'. OC yg baik ati ni pun mula cangkul, dibawah sinaran cahaya matahari yg terik, OC pun dgn gagahnya  hayun slow n stedy, almaklum OC skuaderon tu, bukan sebarang sekuaderon tu, sekuaderon Handau, berani mati pukoi teruih tapau punyer geng, geng pukoi padi sebelum masu tentera dulu. Berberapa minit kemudian , peluh pun mericik. ' haaaa lagu ni la patut ampa buat ce tgk , ok ka...'. 'waaa ok tuan mmg kemaih '.'haaa camtu la..'.'tuan, tu kat ujung tu sikit..'.'mana? '.'tang tu..' sambil juih bibiaq. 'no problemmmmm...' sambil tekun buat. 'sikit lagi tuan tang tu.. '. 'mana? '. ' belakang tuan tu...'. 'ni ka? '. 'ya tuann.. '. hayun lagi.. ', 'sikit lagi tuan...' . 'hamboiiii ampa pekena aku naaa....' . 'takdak la tuan buat comey, kemaih..'. 'pandai la hang!'

PS - takdak kena mengena baik yg idop atau mati. gambaq sekadar hiasan.

'fighter pilot, fighter pilot....'

a long time ago..... skot A had settled down as a staff in a base  while skot B just arrived after being commissioned as a pilot n transferred to the base for conversion to fighter squadron. one fine evening while relaxing in the mess...

Skot B : 'fighter pilot, fighter pilot ..scramble! scramble!'
Skot A : silently enjoying his drink...
Skot B : 'fighter pilot, fighter pilot ..scramble! scramble!'
Skot A : 'fighter pilot! fighter pilot!... kang aku sumpah ko jatuh baru tahu...'
Skot B : -____________-

Years later Skot B did encounter engine failure over the skies  in North East of Peninsular Malaysia and ejected safely but unfortunately his co pilot perished.