By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 13: Premier of Sarawak Honorary Brigadier General Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has recounted the importance of ‘Askar Wataniah’ (Territorial Army or AW) as the military reserve force during the Covid-19 crisis in Sarawak.
Abang Johari, who is also the Sarawak Territorial Army Support Committee (JAKPAW) patron, shared that despite AW being a voluntary body, it was part of the task force together with the civil servants, police and the army to conduct Op Benteng, which began in May 2020 to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants and curb the Covid-19 outbreak.
“In the operation, Wataniah, together with the army, not only monitored the border areas but also communicated with our neighbouring country.
“At that time, our neighbour country (Indonesia) was in need of cooking gas, so we sent the gas cylinders to West Kalimantan through the good network between Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Malaysian army,” he said during the 35th Territorial Army Commanders’ Conference (SKAW) dinner held at Pullman Hotel here earlier tonight.
He also pointed out that the Sarawak government was fully supportive of the army, and Wataniah even allocated a substantial amount to buy Scrambler motorcycles for better border surveillance activities.
He further hoped that the Conference would deliberate on many issues that could increase the cooperation among the Wataniah members and give them a new direction so that Wataniah would become a bastion of prosperity and help the Malaysian army.
Also present were Regent of Perlis and 504 Territorial Army (AW) Regiment commander Brig Gen Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and his consort Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil; Raja Muda of Kedah and 513 AW Regiment commander Brig Gen Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin; Terengganu’s Tengku Sri Temenggung Raja and 512 AW Regiment commander Brig Gen Datuk Seri Raja Tengku Baharuddin Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and wife Toh Puan Seri Zuriana Ismail; Deputy Chief of Army and 35th SKAW chairman Lt Gen Dato’ Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim and wife Datin Haslinda Mohd Ali; and Sarawak Secretary and 510 AW Regiment commander Brig Gen Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki. — DayakDaily
