Etin shows the letter for the SP Award from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and the commendation letter from the IGP in 1972.
“UCHU, look up into the sky, that’s your star.” That was a prophetic message a young man received in a dream from an old man in his village.
It was a dream of destiny 57 years ago in Marudi for village boy Etin Bijam from Engkilili, marking the start of a remarkable journey — from eking out a living as a humble illiterate labourer to etching his name in the hall of fame for gallantry in battle.
Etin is among a rare breed of heroes to have been awarded the Order of the Grand Knight of Valour or Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) — the highest award for bravery by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. The title is ranked higher than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (DKM) awarded to Malaysian royalty.
Only six Sarawakians have received the prestigious award out of 30 bestowals over the past 60 years. There have been no recipients from Sarawak over the past three decades.
A young Etin (left) and a comrade serving during the British colonial era.
Etin, who is partially deaf, is the only surviving SP conferee in the state.
Overlooked and unrecognised except by a handful who appreciate what his achievements and contributions meant to the state and country, the grand old warrior has taken it all in stride.
His former comrade-in-arms and fellow SP recipient Sub-Inspector Ngalinuh Bala passed away in Miri and was given a ceremonial state burial by the Sarawak government in June — years after asking the state for a piece of land to build a house.
Both of them were among the earliest SP recipients from the valiant group of six war heroes, including Malaysia’s most decorated soldier, the late Datuk Kanang Langkau, whose honourific included the Pingat Gagah Berani (PGB) medal for valour and bravery.
thesundaypost caught up with Etin, the humble living legend, at his home in Miri for a chat about his extraordinary journey.
Etin retired from the Royal Malaysia Police in 1995 and is now living with his eldest daughter Linda in a modest terraced house.
Born in a longhouse in Marop Atas, Engkilili, Etin came from a big family of 10 siblings — six boys and four girls — and was the second child of former police officer Bijam @ Jam Enggong and Demun Kilau.
Like many native children in Sarawak during the days of the Brookes and later the British colonial government, he did not have the opportunity to go to school.
That was partly because, like many of his generation, he was older than the date of birth — Dec 31, 1940 – stated in his identity card.
Etin said he was probably about 10 years old by the time the Japanese left Sarawak after their surrender in World War II. He later went to work in Brunei as a labourer before the formation of Malaysia.
Etin receives the SP medal and commendation letter from the IGP’s representative.
Life changer
In 1963, a radio announcement in the Sultanate changed his life forever.
A fellow-labourer, known as Achak, told him about the announcement of an upcoming police recruitment drive in Marudi and asked if he was interested in becoming a ‘soldadu’ — a local term for soldier or military.
Excited by the recruitment prospects, Etin, Achak, and another man, Epit, were soon on the boat to Marudi, wondering nervously how the quest would turn out.
While in Marudi, Etin had a dream that he was back in his village in Engkilili, where he met an old man who called him Uchu, an affectionate Iban term for grandchild, and asked why he was still loitering around; telling him to be a soldadu.
When Etin told the old-timer he had already applied to become a soldier, the latter asked him to look up into the sky.
“I did as told and saw a moon and a star. The old man then said to me ‘Uchu, that’s your star’,” Etin vividly recalled.
It proved to a good omen as he and Achak, together with 20 other fit young men, got the nod from the British recruitment officer. Epit was rejected for being too short.
The recruits were sent to Kuching and later Peninsular Malaysia for training.
Etin, who was accepted into the police force on Feb 27, 1963, chuckled when recalling the training they went through to whip a motley group of illiterate farmers or labourers into disciplined, formidable fighting men.
“During the drills, the orders were given in English and Malay and classes were held in the afternoon. Although most of us were illiterate, handling and assembling weapons were easy for us during the three months training.”
Etin was posted to the 18th Battalion of the Police Field Force (PFF) in Sibu, now rebranded as the General Operations Force, before its relocation to Camp Miri in 1971.
He later married Singgah Inggat and during the turbulent period of communist insurgency in Sarawak, they had four girls – Linda, Mila, Julia, and Lily.
Etin and his PFF comrades were involved in many missions and jungle patrols — tracking and engaging the enemy in the hotbeds of the insurgency throughout Sarawak.
He was never one to back off from duty, even turning down a concerned superior’s advice to stand down after he woke up screaming one night in the jungle from a dream of being shot and bleeding.
Life-changing battle
On April 29, 1972, Etin had just completed his sedentary duty as a sentry at his camp in Sibu when his officer came over to ask if he would escort a PWD team tasked with sending a shipment of explosives for road construction in Selangau.
The officer explained it was unsafe to keep the explosives in the camp.
Lunch in hand, Etin answered, “Yes Sir” without hesitation. It proved to be a defining moment in his career and also that the recruiting officer was right to enlist him in Marudi years back.
After picking up Corporal Ngalinuh Bala as an extemporary leader and two others at Mile 14, the explosives-laden lorry proceeded to its destination but unknowingly into an ambush by a big group of insurgents intent on killing the PWD crew and their escort, and seizing the explosives at Mile 43 Oya Road.
As the lorry headed downhill near a river at about 1pm that day, the enemy opened fire and the trapped men jumped down from the lorry and took cover behind an excavator nearby.
“Suddenly, shots rained down from the hill and we all jumped down and quickly hid behind the excavator,” Etin recalled.
Taking the fight to the enemy, he charged uphill to their position, firing his SLR machine gun as he dodged a hail of bullets.
Ngalinuh took the other flank with the rest behind him providing fire cover.
Etin explains how he made his stand against the insurgents during an ambush.
Bomb — take cover
Despite being thrown to the ground after a grenade exploded barely 15 metres away, Etin got up and continued running and shooting at the ambushers, calling out to his comrades, “Bomb!” And they all ran for cover.
Not knowing Ngalinuh on the other flank was shot in the right thigh, Etin continued pressing forward until he reached a camp where he saw bullet casings and four shotguns.
“I immediately grabbed the guns as the enemy had fled but then I suddenly saw people running and shots started ringing out again.”
Etin tracked down five enemy combatants and using a tree as a buttress, fired in quick succession, hitting one of them.
When the enemy rushed out to help their injured, Etin opened fire again and hit a second person, forcing the group to flee.
He saw another insurgent to his right and fired twice. A loud bang suddenly rang out and though shocked, Etin ran back into the jungle and saw an SLR machine gun near a bush. He fired two bursts with it and emptied four magazines.
He reloaded the spare magazine and waited. When he heard voices coming from the dense foliage, he fired more rounds in their direction until he ran out of ammo.
He then doubled back to his comrades for backup magazines and defended their position until reinforcement, led by Inspector Reggie Deli, arrived hours later.
Unsure of their situation, Etin offered to lead the backup team in retracing the trail of blood. They came across a piece of red-stained cloth and two bodies, one of which had been shot in the chest.
Important documents, detailing insurgency activities in the area, firearms, and a brand new radio were recovered from the enemy’s camp.
Etin and Ngalinuh were bestowed the SP Award in 1972 for their exceptional bravery.
Home safe
Etin returned home safely to the relief of his family. Linda was only five years old at the time.
“While still in the service, we could wait for the days, months and even years before we could go home and see our family. We had to make so many sacrifices and I hope the government and the younger generation will remember our contributions. Every mission could be fatal,” he reflected.
Giving his advice to the younger generation he said, “Be brave, be wise. If you don’t have this — Agi idup, agi ngelaban (fight to the death) — fighting spirit, you cannot be in this line of duty to protect the country.”
Smoking battle
To Linda, her father is more than just a hero and inspiration on the battlefield.
Five years ago, he stopped smoking on the doctor’s advice. He was already on medication and using inhalers.
Even his doctor was surprised and so proud that he could still win the battle against nicotine in his 70s.
“Apart from being hard of hearing, my father is relatively healthier than I,” Linda laughed.
Etin browses through the Sang Saka Biru souvenir book, detailing the exploits of the brave men in the Malaysian Police Force.
Lack of recognition
Etin is thankful to the federal government and the police for their recognition of his contributions with the SP Award, which comes with a monthly stipend of RM2,000.
The payment of the allowance followed an outcry over the lack of appreciation of the sacrifices by the servicemen and policemen during the insurgency.
“I’m old now. I hope our future generations will know about our sacrifices in the defence of the country and the government will remember and appreciate war veterans like us who put our lives on the line for King and country,” he said.
Fellow SP recipient and retired police Superintendent Datuk Paul Kiong said the state government should accord Sarawak war heroes the recognition they rightly deserve.
According to him, Etin and the late Ngalinuh should be given more recognition in the form of state awards, even posthumously in the case of Ngalinuh, as a token of love and respect for the brave warriors of the Land of the Hornbills.
“The state government should take this golden opportunity to highlight Etin’s exploits and contributions and invite him and his family to state functions.”
Kiong suggested a roll of honour be established at the State War Museum gallery for Sarawak’s war heroes to let the public know them and their contributions.
GOF officers and personnel with Etin.
Entrepreneur Development and Co-operatives Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, a former inspector in the Police Field Force during the insurgency period (1969 to 1973), went a step further to say the federal government is still not giving fair and equal treatment to police personnel compared to their military counterparts, notwithstanding the SP and PGB recipient allowances.
He pointed out that police veterans, awarded the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara (PJPN), had not been given the one-off RM500 ex-gratia payment although recipients of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM), a title for ex-military personnel, had received such payment for serving during the First Emergency (1948-1960), the Second Emergency (1969-1989), and the Sarawak Emergency (1962-1974).
Recognition or not, the clock is ticking for the last SP survivor in Sarawak and one of the brightest stars in the war against the communist insurgency who is now in his sunset years.
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