SHAH ALAM: They were the elite commandos of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
They served with distinction, dedication and loyalty to safeguard the country's shores and sovereignty, against local and foreign aggression; and assisted in search and rescue operations during disasters.
Many of them also gave their lives in carrying out dangerous salvage operations and missions, or in training.
Yet, like many a veteran, they found the going tough in their second careers upon retiring from service.
Fortunately, they managed to regroup under the auspices of the Malaysian Retired Handau/ Paskau Organisation, formed in 2019.
The organisation, headquartered at Taman TTDI Jaya has since shown promise of catering to the well-being and welfare of its 500-odd members.
The organisation's prime mover is chairman Datuk Sevinder Singh, a retired RMAF corporal from its 8th Recruits' Intake, with 16 years commando expertise.
"We are thankful to the authorities for giving our members a second lease of life by facilitating them to earn a decent living via various means.
"Owing to our specialised combat and tactical skills, many have successfully established security, armed guard and bodyguard services.
"Others have ventured into finance, banking, trading, firearms, plantations, organic farming and livestock breeding industries," Sevinder told The New Straits Times at the organisation's annual general meeting at its headquarters.
The event was officiated by its patron Tengku Tan Sri Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar, who is the uncle to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Also present were its corporate advisor and younger brother Tengku Datuk Seri Kamal Sultan Abu Bakar, its corporate board chairman Lt Col (Rtd) Abdul Razak Razali and the various state representatives.
Tengku Azlan later signed a plaque to open the organisation's headquarters, handed over letters of appreciation to committee members and a funeral van for the organisation's use.
"Tengku Azlan is also assisting us to secure 100 acres of land for commercial development of various projects, so as to generate income for our organisation's activities and the welfare of our members and their families," he said, adding that a larger office space for functions was also secured at Bangsar South.
Looking back, Sevinder said that the RMAF commando outfit took off as Handau (pasukan pertahanan darat dan udara, or air and ground defence force) on April 1, 1980, before becoming the RMAF Regiment on June 1, 1983.
In 1996, it was renamed Pasukan Khas Udara (Air Special Forces) before finally being referred to as Paskau (RMAF Special Forces) on April 1, 2002.
"Paskau's main functions are to carry out high-value target protection, ground forward air control, combat search and rescue and disaster operations.
"Since its formation, Paskau took over from the Army's Special Deployment Force as the principal anti-hijack response unit for military and civil aircraft," he said.
Like their Army and Royal Malaysian Navy commando comrades, Paskau members undergo special training as paratroopers to be deployed behind enemy lines via air, land and sea.
The NST learnt that Paskau's origins could be traced back to 1974 when it was swiftly formed following a mortar attack believed to be by the Malayan Communist Party agents at the RMAF base in Sungai Besi.
The NST was informed that a second similar attack was launched at the same base a year later, damaging an RMAF de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou transport aeroplane.
"Owing to these incidents, the Defence Ministry initiated the move for the RMAF to form its own security unit to man its air bases, taking over from the Army's military police," said Sevinder.
He added that later, a nucleus Handau team was assembled comprising airmen and officers, who were sent for commando training at the Army special warfare training centre at Terendak Camp in Sungai Udang, Malacca.
Months later on April 1, 1980 came the birth of the first unit - the 102nd Handau squadron that included army commandos.
In June 1983, the Handau squadrons were reorganised as the RMAF Regiment.
It resulted in the formation of the RMAF Provost Squadrons that were tasked with providing security for forward operation bases; and two other separate operations elements known as the combat air rescue team and the rapid deployment force.
By March 1987, ten more Handau squadrons each were established at Kuantan, Butterworth, Ipoh, Kuching, Alor Star, Kluang, Bukit Jugra in Banting and Labuan, and two in Subang.
By 1996, the RMAF Regiment was renamed as the Air Special Forces with its strength further increased and its role expanded to include counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare and, search and rescue missions.
Its members soon received training from the United Kingdom's Special Air Service and the United States Special Operations Force for their new roles.
On March 17, 1999 the regiment's headquarters moved from the Sungai Besi base to Bukit Jugra.
It also resulted in the RMAF provost squadrons coming directly under the command of the air provost marshal, with the other elements remaining with the RMAF Regiment.
On April 1, 2002 the whole outfit was renamed as Paskau.
It has since been reorganised into three formations as the Combat Wing, Combat Air Rescue and Field Protection squadrons.
The Combat Wing Squadron members are trained in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, infiltration, sabotage and can destroy or disable high-value targets.
Their team comprises cross-trained signallers, medics, weapons specialists, demolitions experts, snipers, boatmen and aircraft hostage rescue operations.
The Combat Air Rescue Squadron has detachments at six of the primary air bases at Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Butterworth, Gong Kedak, Kuching and Labuan.
The Field Protection Squadron provides special protection to high-value military facilities such as air defence radars, forward operating bases, and close or special escort duty.
"Every officer or other rank who successfully completes the basic commando course is presented with a sky-blue beret, light-blue lanyard, a Paskau shoulder tab and a tactical knife.
"The basic course lasts for 12 weeks and has six modules covering land, sea and air insertion, jungle warfare tactics, sabotage and hostage rescue.
"It also involves a 160km long-distance march, 120km dark-water challenge and a survival, escape, resistance and evasion (SERE) module," Sevinder said.
Advanced commando courses offer varying modules from close-quarters combat and martial arts, diving, unconventional warfare, counter-insurgency and –terrorism, sniper, laser-guided weaponry, high- and low-altitude parajumps, rappelling, special reconnaissance, hostage rescue and, handling explosives and firearms.
There were numerous significant operations Paskau members were involved, notably the March 2013 intrusion by Sulu militants at Kampung Tanduo in Lahat Datu, Sabah.
Another is in retrieving former Home Minister Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie from a Cessna light aeroplane crash in Janda Baik near Genting Highlands, Pahang on Jan 10, 1982.
Two others onboard - pilot Chacko Vargis and Ghazali's bodyguard Assistant Superintendent Charon Daam, perished.
Paskau were also tasked with providing security of aircraft parked on the airport's tarmac, during the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition.
Apart from local deployment, Paskau members have also been peace-keepers on duty with the Malaysian battalion serving with the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Unprofor) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).