Touch down: A parachutist landing at Padang Merdeka in Kuching, Sarawak, during the reenactment of Ops Semut. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: “From the clouds to the ground” – these words accompanied four Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) parachutists as they descended towards Padang Merdeka here during a ceremony commemorating a World War II event.
Leaping from a CN235 aircraft at an altitude of 1,828m (6,000ft), their feat was a reenactment of the parachute landing of Australia’s Z Special Unit in Bario under Ops Semut in 1945.
Air Warrant Officer I Mohd Shah Rizal Md Zahid landed first, bearing the Jalur Gemilang, followed by Capt Shahrurizal Sabri with the Australian flag, Flight Sergeant Ahmad Riduan Nordin with the Sarawak flag, and Cpl Muhammad Fikri Azizi Faizul with the Armed Forces flag.
Capt Shahrurizal then handed over the Sarawak flag to Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, who was the guest of honour at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of Ops Semut here yesterday.
Abang Johari said Ops Semut was a historical event that not only marked the beginning of Sarawak’s liberation from the Japanese occupation but also a new era for Bario and the state after the war.
“The engagement between the locals and the security forces opened a new chapter in Bario for the Kelabit community, with the setting up of a school and other changes,” he told reporters.
Organising committee adviser Datuk Gerawat Gala said Ops Semut involved the dropping of commandos behind enemy lines into Bario on March 25, 1945, to gather intelligence and train the Kelabit community to fight against the Japanese occupiers during World War II.
The Kelabit community and Sarawak Tourism Federation initiated the first commemoration in Bario back in 2013 by installing a memorial in honour of the Z Special Unit and local fighters.
“Since then, the event has been celebrated annually in Bario except during the Covid-19 lockdown years.
“The 80th anniversary was commemorated with a reenactment of the parachute landing. We are grateful to the Premier for requesting the reenactment to be done in Kuching, elevating the local event in Bario to the state level,” he said.
The landing was followed by a military band performance and traditional Kelabit dance.
