(Seated from second left) Bansa, Ngalai, Henry, Ugap, Juni and Ron after the working committee meeting in Nanga Sekuau.
A NUMBER of activities have been planned to commemorate the golden jubilee of the formation of the former Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) resettlements this year.
The working committee chairman Henry Kanyan said the events included an appreciation night, e-sport competition, sukan rakyat, cooking competition, town hall session, pre-Gawai celebration, Ngiling Bidai ceremony and Merdeka Day celebration.
The events will be held at the four former Rascom resettlements of Nanga Sekuau, Nanga Jagau, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Tada, he said.
“The pinnacle of the event is the November celebration where we will invite Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to be the guest of honour.
“We are holding these events to create awareness among the new generation about the sacrifices of security forces and role of Rascom during communist insurgency era in Sarawak.
“It is also commemorate the original purpose of forming the resettlements under Rascom as well as its success in defeating the communists in Sarawak,” Henry said when chairing the working committee meeting in Nanga Sekuau.
Those present were community leaders from the resettlements namely Penghulu Andrewson Ngalai Asom, Penghulu Ron Ugai, Penghulu Juni Masam, Penghulu Ugap Seribu and Penghulu Bansa Kunchau.
“We have also proposed to build a monument at four major resettlements and present special awards to those who served during the Rascom era,” added Henry.
Rascom’s establishment was announced by then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak on March 26, 1972, after his visit to Nanga Kajah in Ulu Ngemah, Kanowit, in response to the deteriorating security situation in the middle Rajang Basin.
It covers 58,544sq km in the Third, Sixth and Seventh Divisions.
Longhouse folk were regrouped and resettled under a Rascom scheme as a security measure against communist threats.
Among the regrouping and resettlement schemes were Nanga Jagau, Nanga Ngungun, Nanga Tada, Nanga Sekuau and Nanga Dap.
Rascom was disbanded on April 6, 1995.
