Gunfire, cannon shells and the longest two minutes

Retired 2nd Ranger serviceman Abdul Rahman Maidin who had several close shaves with death while serving at Pulau Sebatik near Tawau during the Confrontation and as a commando fighting the communists in Perak. (Sept 14)

IT was a still night in 1966. After several hours of night patrol, Pvt Abdul Rahman Maidin was looking forward to some rest.

But just before he and four other Malaysian 2nd Ranger soldiers reached their camp in Kampung Mantadak on Pulau Sebatik, the sound of machine guns filled the air.