The Lahad Datu intrusion by the Kiram's army has been on-going for nearly a month now. I've been following the updates since I first heard about it in mid-February, a couple of days after the first day they were reported landed in Lahad Datu. At first, I wasn't really aware about it and had no idea that it would come to this stage...well, who did? I was even in Felda Sahabat on the 12 Feb. with some colleagues for maintenance work on our system's equipment there. We didn't stay in Felda Sahabat but at Lahad Datu town, and left the town on the 13th, and all that while we didn't hear any related news. However, we did notice a few road blocks on the way, but we had no idea and didn't think much about it as road blocks are quite usual.
The days after that, the news were all about negotiations and the case were still within the Kg. Tanduo-Lahad Datu area. At that stage, I decided to postpone all work activities related to that district area, but still ... I wasn't really alarmed and I thought it was still alright to go to other places such as Semporna - the place that a friend of mine and I had planned to visit. My friend from KL was going to visit me at the end of February. We were already in Semporna when the news of the Kg. Tanduo's shootout broke. It was on Friday, we spent the whole afternoon in Mabul. It was actually an unplanned decision to catch a boat to Mabul that day as our initial plan was to enjoy the river cruise in Semporna but we were informed on the last minute that it was cancelled. At night, we went out for dinner quite late, around 8.30pm ... and most of the restaurants was closed. Finally we ended up buying KFC for dinner and when the KFC staffs started to prepare for closing shop a couple of hours early than the designated time, I asked one of the staff what's going on. Then and there I heard the news, still unconfirmed, but possible, that there might be some of the intruders already in Semporna, and for security reason they had to close early.
I took note of that info. I sensed that the whole town retired early (except for Giant Hypermarket and a few shops next to it) because of the rumours. No one dared to say it as confirmed, at least not to us that night. Since our pre-booked island trip the next day was still on, I decided we should just proceed with it and see how things would be going on the next day. On the next day, Saturday, our island trip was proceeded as planned, but with a changed location. Initially, the trip was supposed to go to Sibuan Island, but boats were not given clearance to go there as the island is near to Lahad Datu. So, we ended up going to Mabul Island, and the day went on well. We came back to Semporna around 5.00pm and after considering the time (as I didn't want to drive back to Tawau when it's dark), we decided to stay another night in Semporna and take off early the next morning.
That night we took our dinner early, and we noticed that many shops and restaurants that were closed the night before were open. Around 7.00 - 7.30pm, just as we were finishing our last spoonfuls of delicious dinner, we noticed the people around us, mainly the other customers and the restaurant staff were nervously moving around ... again the sense of a shop going to close early... A young woman came to us and told us to hurry up with our dinner as the restaurant is going to close. Apparently, there's news spreading about shots fired at a village about 3 km from where we were sitting. Of course, we didn't hear any gunshots but after hearing that, we did as the woman said and returned to our inn. I checked the updates all night but only the next morning the news were confirmed that there was a shootout between the police and the intruders at Kg. Sri Jaya Simunul.
Alhamdulillah, we made it back to Tawau safe and sound and I was relieved that I could send my friend back to KL without any untoward incident. Right after that, there's no secret ... we all know what had happened related to the intrusion from that day until today. I'm keeping tabs on the updates, reading related articles and stay put in Tawau and staying calm. Day to day, the security is tight in certain places. I happened to witness the apprehension of suspicious persons by the armed forces one day. Surely everything that needed to be done is being done right now and we can do nothing except supporting our forces with our prayers and have faith in them.
Sad and silent anger. That's how I feel about all this. The decision to make the eastern part of Sabah as the Special Security Area (SSA) is really something that should be done a long time ago, given the fact that this is not the first time the peaceful nature of our country, Sabah specifically, is put to test. Although the details about it is not yet known, I hope that this thing will be executed swiftly and properly. If I were a native Sabahan, I wouldn't want my land to be terrorized and I wouldn't want my family and I to live in fear. And I also don't want to belong to any other country than Malaysia.
Whatever speculation arises, the main thing now is to avoid the immediate threat first. I wish the intruders would surrender and go home. If they are serious and honest with their intentions, they should make their claims using the proper way, not like this, not what they did to our fallen heroes. No one should be 'singled out' this time. My sympathy also to the villagers who have to evacuate their homes, the fishermen who cannot go fishing, the children who cannot go to school. Usually in this country, people live in shelters because of natural disaster like flood, but this time, it's to avoid eating free bullets in a crossfire. After all this end, they will surely need help rebuilding their damaged homes and crops.
When a problem is solved in hostile manners, then no solution will ever be found. There'll only be revenge and retaliation. We are a nation who loves peace. We say war is crime. We don't want this. We cannot live forever in the past, instead, we have to find ways to live harmoniously from present to the future.
To the fallen ones, may them rest in peace. al-Fatihah.
