MUHAMAD Razali Din, 75, says the communists tried to persuade him to join their movement in Malaysia, and as part of the deal was offered a high-ranking position, but he rejected them all out of love for the nation.
The former soldier, who lost part of his left leg due to a communist booby trap, said the remnants of the movement had sent him a letter in December 1982, after he retired from the Malay-sian Armed Forces with the rank of Warrant Officer II.
“They wanted to meet me and were prepared to offer a major position. I tore up the letter.”
“What is the point of getting any rank or position?
“We do not want to go against our principles to join a struggle which only seeks to betray the nation and the people.
“Even though I am now referred to as a person with disability (OKU), it has not diminished my spirit. I am aware of the responsibility that lies on my shoulders to defend the nation against all threats emerging from all corners.”
Speaking from his home in Kampung Sungai Terap, near here, Razali said he lost his leg while clearing booby traps set up by Communist insurgents along the Malaysia-Thailand borders on March 15, 1977.
He was then attached with the 8th Squadron of the Royal Engineer Regiment and the incident took place when he was involved in the Naga/Foxtrot operation at the Banding jungle in Grik, Perak.
Recalling the incident, Razali said he and his 12 fellow colleagues were assigned to clean up the area from land mines, which had been planted by Communist insurgents.
“After the cleaning-up operation was done for the day, I instructed my personnel to rest. I went ahead to reconnoiter and planned the task for the following day.
“I still remember that the time was 3.45pm, I was at a distance of 13m from my personnel who were resting. I stepped onto a booby-trap in an area which had yet to be cleared.
“When I stepped onto the booby-trap, it exploded and I remember being flung into the air several metres high before I fell to the ground. I turned around to see my left leg bleeding, only my left leg’s bones remained intact, the flesh surrounding it had disintegrated.
“The injuries that I sustained resulted in my left leg being amputated up to the knee. A shrapnel was also embedded in my left eye. I have not been able to see properly since, then.
“Many died and many had lost their limbs due to the cruelty of the Communist insurgents.”