BUJANG MALAYA

"BUJANG MALAYA" - Awang Anak Rawing

The Iban George Cross (GC) Recipient  

On Sunday morning on 17th April 2011, I met Awang Anak Rawing by chance while I was in Pasar Simanggang (or Bandar Sri Aman). I heard about his bravery (over Radio Sarawak) when I was small boy and got to know him while I was serving as Special Branch Officer in Simanggnag (1971-June 1976). I’d not met him for many years. We exchanged the usual (Iban) greeting (Nama berita?), shook hand and had coffee together in nostalgia of our past friendship. At my request, he related his GC’s story vividly. Picture: Awang Anak Rawing flanked by me (by his right)  Note: His name was spelt officially AWANG ANAK RAWANG.

Awang reiterated he enlisted and signed six-months contract to serve with the British Army as “Iban Tracker” or Sarawak Rangers in early 1951. What motivated him to do so was the adventurous Iban-spirit of “kempang or berani-mati” (dare-to-die) in tandem with the lyrics of an Iban oldies entitled “Bujang Malaya”.  [The lyrics of the song will be posted seperately]

After one month of intensive weaponry-training, Awang [who needed no jungle training] was posted to 10^th. Platoon 'D' Company 1^st. Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. It was during his first jungle-patrolling together with the platoon that the troop was caught in an ambush by a group of armed communist terrorists. Awang earned the British gallantry award of George Cross (GC) for his bravery extraordinaire on 22 Nov. 1951. After recovering from gun-shot wounds, he said he continued to serve [in light duty] in the Regiment. Upon expiry of the six-months contract, Awang was offered by the British Army to serve as an attendant in British Military Hospital in Kluang Johor. He declined the offer as his brother was coming over to take him back home to Sarawak.

Awang’s original longhouse was at Tawai Skrang. He and his family moved down river to live at Nanga Skrang (by the old site of Skrang Sawmill). Under PM Najib’s ex-servicemen welfare scheme, Awang had his house built and receives monthly allowance of RM1,500.00 in recognition of his service to the nation.


Below is the full story extracted from Worcestershire Regiment (29^th/36^th of Foot) website

Worcestershire Regiment men who were awarded the GC (George Cross) Awang Anak Rawang was an Iban Scout attached to 10 Platoon, 'D' Company, 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment in Malaya.  While patrolling in the jungle, 10 Platoon was ambushed by around 50 Communist bandits. Two men were killed and Awang and Private Hughes were wounded.  Awang had been shot through the thigh, but managed drag Private Hughes into cover.  He then defended Hughes and himself as the bandits moved in to finish them off.  Eventually Awang was shot again, shattering his right arm.  He then took a grenade in his left hand, held it up and dared the bandits to come and try to kill them.  At this the bandits withdrew.  Awang, despite his severe wounds, had held off their attacks for 40 minutes, and saved Hughes' life. For this he was awarded the George Cross, the civilian version of the V.C. His full citation in The London Gazette reads: AWANG anak RAWANG. Iban Tracker, Johore, Federation of Malaya.  During operations against the bandits in Malaya a section of a platoon of the Worcestersbire Regiment was ambushed by about 50 of the enemy. The leading scout was killed instantly and the Section Commander fatally wounded. Awang anak Rawang was hit through the thigh bone and at the same time a soldier, moving behind him, was hit below the knee, the bullet completely shattering the bone. Awang anak Rawang. although wounded and lying exposed under heavy rifle and automatic fire, collected his own weapons and that of the soldier and dragged him into the cover of the jungle. In view of the impending bandit attack Awaug. completely disregarding his own wound, took up a position to defend the injured man. There he remained, firing on every attempt made by the bandits to approach, and successfully drove off several attacks. Ultimately Awang was again wounded, the bullet shattering his right arm and rendering further use of his rifle or parang impossible. Despite loss of blood from his undressed wounds, be dragged himself over to the wounded soldier and took a grenade from the man’s pouch. He resumed his position on guard, pulled out the pin of the grenade with his teeth and with the missile in his left band defied the bandits to approach. So resolute was his demeanour that the bandits, who had maintained their attacks for some forty minutes, and who were now threatened by the other sections, withdrew. The coolness, fortitude and offensive spirit displayed by Awang anak Rawang were of the highest order. Despite being twice severely wounded he showed the utmost courage and resolution to continue the fight and protect the injured soldier.

Worcestershire Regimental History records the following action: On 26th May 1951, 12 Platoon, “D” Company (2/Lieut. W. O. Morris, R.A.O.C. att. 1 Worc. R.) were encamped in some rubber on Ulu Paloh Estate, three miles West of Niyor. At about 1530 hours one of the platoon sentries was fired on by a party of eight terrorists. The sentry returned the fire and the terrorists withdrew in a North-Westerly direction. The Platoon Commander then took two sections in pursuit of the terrorists, but after making a wide circling movement through the jungle could find no trace of the enemy and returned to base. The following morning (27th May) the Platoon Commander, with two sections, set out once more in search of the enemy. They moved due West into the jungle and followed a narrow track, which had jungle on the left and felled jungle on the high ground to the right. The track was used by woodcutters who were engaged in cutting the jungle further back, Having moved about a quarter of a mile into the jungle, the leading section came under very heavy automatic fire from the front and left flank. The patrol went to ground and returned the fire. In the first few minutes Private Dykes, the leading scout, was killed. The section commander (Corporal Stanton), two more privates (Hughes and Payne), and the Iban tracker (Awang anak Rawang), were wounded. The Platoon Commander shouted several times to Corporal Stanton to withdraw his section, but he received no reply. 2/Lieut. Morris then moved back and deployed the rear section to the left; they then engaged the terrorists as best they could. 2/Lieut. Morris moved forward again to investigate the state of the leading section. During this time he fired two complete magazines from his carbine. The Platoon Commander was killed shortly afterwards, but the Platoon fought on for about forty minutes, when the terrorists withdrew. The sound of the firing had been heard back at the Company base, and the Company Commander, with two platoons, moved out and arrived at the scene of the action about an hour later. During the action Private Hughes fell wounded in the middle of the track, and Awang anak Rawang, the Iban tracker, although wounded himself and lying in an exposed position, dragged Private Hughes under cover of a fallen tree. From behind the tree Awang defended Hughes and continued to engage the terrorists when they tried to approach. For his gallantry Awang anak Rawang was subsequently awarded the George Cross. He was the first, and at the time of writing the only, Iban tracker to receive such an honour. The casualties in the action were 2/Lieut. W. O. Morris, Corporal B. Stanton and Private N. Dykes killed, and the wounded were Private G. Hughes, Private N. Payne and the Iban. The enemy lost three killed, including Lap Kwang, the company commander and a terrorist leader of repute. The terrorists numbered about fifty and were later identified as 3 Platoon and 7 Platoon, 4 Company, of the 9th Regiment. The two sections of 12 Platoon had a total strength of between fifteen and twenty.   ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ In connection with the above story, I would like to mention three persons I know personally who were also recipients of gallantry awards. They were:- (1) Rtd. Lt. Col. Robert Madang @ Robert Rizal. Recipient of Pahalawan Gagah Berani     (PGB). Former Commander of 3rd Battalion Royal Malaysian Rangers. He is my     [fourth] cousin whose longhouse was originally called Lachau Ulu Rh. Rantai, Pantu,     Simanggang in Sri Aman Division Sarawak.  (2) Former ASP (Asst. Supt. of Police) Wilfred Gomez Anak Malong. Recipient of     Pahalawan Gagah Berani (PGB). Fred was my dear classmate (Form I –V) and     boxing-sparring partner. His longhouse called Lempaong is about 2 km before reaching     Pasar Betong. He joined Royal Malaysia Police Force as Probationary Inspector Trainee     in 1969 in Maktab Polis Di-Raja which was then located in Kuala Kubu Baru Selangor.      [Fred was “running away” from St. Thomas Secondary School Boarding House Kuching     to "escape" H.S.C Exam]. He was the Commander of Border Scout Special Squad     also called SIU (Special Intelligence Unit) attached to Special Branch RASCOM. In Polis     Di-Raja Malaysia service, Fred was one year my senior. ( I was also Probationary     Inspector Trainee in 1970 in the same Police college). We met again in School of Law in     University of Buckingham in UK when he resigned end of 1980 (which was nine months     after my resignation). (3)The late Michael Menggong Anak Panggit (Retired ASP) was awarded George Medal     (GM) for his bravery during his earlier service as an Iban Tracker in the Sarawak     Rangers during the Malayan Emergency (1951-1957). He was my next-house neighbour     in Simanggang Police Complex. He served as Border Scout Commander Simanggang     Camp, while I was serving as District Special Branch Inspector Pantu/Simanggang (1971     to mid 1976). The late Michael Menggong Anak Panggit and his men were supportive     during SB operations against NKCP subversive and militant elements operating in Pantu-     Simanggang-Engkilili-Batu Lintang –Lubok Antu Complex. FURTHER INFORMATION Bong Kee Chok (BKC) was the military Commander of PARAKU I & PARAKU II. PARAKU meant Pasukan Rakyat Kalimantan Utara). PARAKU Units were among the militant arms of NKCP (North Kalimantan Communist Party) operating in Second (Sri Aman) Division in Pantu-Simanggang-Batu Lintang-Engkilili-Lubok Antu Complex along the international border with Kalimantan/Indonesia. I will post few articles on: “THE UNTOLD STORY”- What actually occurred from the day when BCK and his men were sighted in Balai Ringgin area between late Dec. 1972/early Jan. 1973 until the group was forced to came out and negotiated surrender (October 1973) in Simanggang through our (SB) covert and overt operations. Considerably I was fortunate because I was tasked to be personally with Dato’ (Tuan) Hj. Alli Kawi (Head Special Branch Sarawak then) at the material when we had lunch together withBKC (just the three of us ) on the very day BCK walked out of their hide-out to meet us (through covert arrangement)  together with his two body-guards named: Soo Kwong  and Bong Kee Kuen who was BCK's younger brother. They went  through tight military mounted-cordon within the vacinity of Sepatak-Bayai-Empangu about 20 km from Simanggang (Bandar Sri Aman).