 |
| Photo: The internet |
Many Malaysians today may not be aware of a sinister plot by communist terrorists led by Chin Peng to sabotage the declaration of independence for Malaya.
On August 20, 1957, Lieutenant Hassan Osman, a key military officer, played a crucial role in safeguarding Malaya’s stability in the run-up to independence.
At that time, Platoon 12 of Company D from the 5th Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD) was tasked with monitoring the area under Company C, 6 RAMD in Rawang. Their mission was to conduct detailed reconnaissance of suspected communist activities, as there were fears of an ambush intended to disrupt the impending declaration of independence.
Upon receiving vital intelligence, Lieutenant Hassan sought and was granted permission to undertake further investigation. He and his team proceeded to the Waterfall Rubber Estate, where communist activity had been reported.
Their suspicions were confirmed—communist forces were indeed present. With careful planning, Lieutenant Hassan and his team prepared to execute an ambush on August 21, 1957, just ten days before Malaya’s independence was to be declared.
During their preliminary surveillance, Lieutenant Hassan spotted a female communist operative heading towards their ambush site. He instructed his team to hold their fire to avoid alerting the other communists to their presence.
Shortly thereafter, they observed a male communist heading towards a swamp to wash his face. Although the visible number of communists was small, Lieutenant Hassan suspected there were more hidden nearby.
He decided to follow the two communists. As they pursued, the team discovered another communist who had left behind a weapon at the base of a tree on a hillside.
Lieutenant Hassan then directed some of his men to secure the abandoned items while he and others continued the chase. From a distance, he saw a group of men dressed as rubber tappers approaching the area where the communists were being pursued.
Realizing that the rubber tappers were actually communist leaders preparing for an assault, Lieutenant Hassan took immediate action, opening fire on one of the communists. The other two fled, abandoning their belongings. The group of rubber tappers also escaped.
The abandoned items were later examined and found to include supplies, jewelry, cash, and documents that revealed a detailed plan by the communists to sabotage the independence declaration. This discovery led to the arrest of 35 terrorists who were plotting to disrupt the independence celebrations.
In light of this event, the notion held by some that the communist terrorists under the MCP were freedom fighters is fundamentally flawed. If the MCP was truly fighting for the country’s independence, why would they plan to sabotage the very event that marked Malaya’s freedom?
Comments