KUCHING, Aug 23: The Sarawak government has been urged to set up more territorial army (TA) units to look after strategic assets in Sarawak such as telecommunication towers which are prone to vandalism.
In making this call, Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) general manager Major (honorary) Ts Dr Zaidi Razak emphasised that other strategic assets such as hydroelectricity (HEP) dams in Bakun, Murum, Baleh, Batang Ai and Bengoh should also be safeguarded to ensure that Sarawak can progress as planned.
“I hope that the government will look into the setting up of more territorial army units to look after our telecommunication towers all over the State to prevent vandalism,” he said after the closing ceremony of the TA course series 2/2022-511 held at Ria Camp, Kota Sentosa here today.
On another issue, Zaidi also appealed to the youth to join TA as it is a good training ground for discipline and self-development.
“Additionally, it also instills patriotism and self-improvement. So, I hoped more technocrats and youth for that matter would join and support the Wataniah (TA),” encouraged Zaidi, who is a member of Sarawak’s TA Support Committee (JakPaw).
TA 511 commanding officer, Brigadier General Abang Mohamad Abang Marzuki supported Zaidi’s call for the government to strengthen its key assets of the State such as ports and utility assets.
“On top of that, our role is very strategic as we assist regular armies to maintain peace and security of the country.
“And in the event of war, we will assist in the administration of army camps while the regular armies will be on tour of duties,” he said.
Abang Mohamad also shared his experience when he deployed 125 TA personnel to assist the security forces during the Movement Control Order (MCO) to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sarawak.
Meanwhile, at the function, 22-year-old Debora Dujong from Kapit was adjudged as the overall best recruit among the 34 TA trainees who successfully underwent one month of basic training at the camp.
Debora, who is a diploma holder in civil engineering from a local polytechnic, aspires to become a full-time soldier once she completes her degree in the near future.
“I always admired the army uniform and I want to be part of the security forces family which looks after the peace and security of our country,” she said. — DayakDaily
