KUCHING: For the people of Bario Lembaa, the sight of parachutes descending from the sky 80 years ago on March 25 was both mesmerising and terrifying.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Management) cum Mulu assemblyman Datuk Gerawat Gala said that some villagers believed it was a visitation from heaven but in reality, it was the arrival of eight commandos from the elite Z Special Unit – an Allied force from Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain – on a top-secret mission behind enemy lines.
He added that to honour their bravery, the Kelabit community, through Rurum Kelabit Sarawak and the Sarawak Tourism Federation, has been holding an annual commemoration since 2013, except during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For the Kelabit community and descendants of the Z Special Force, the annual commemoration is held annually to remember and honour the sacrifice and courage of our freedom fighters, and also to mark the beginning of the transformation of our community from living within a closed world to opening up to modernity and education,” he said.
He said this in his speech during the 80th Commemoration of the Operations Semut 1945 Parachute Landing at Padang Merdeka today.
He mentioned that the first school in Bario was set up by Major Tom Harrison, the leader of the Z Special Force who brought an Indonesian Timorese teacher named Paul Kohuan to start the first school among the Kelabits.
“Subsequently after World War Two (WW2), many Kelabits had joined the Border Scout, army and police force.
“In total, more than 300 Kelabits had served either in the army, police or border scouts.
“This is about five per cent of our total population of Kelabits who had served in keeping the security and peace of our country. They are all our ‘unsung heroes’,” said Gerawat.
The Semut mission was a third independent operations in Borneo which aimed at establishing an intelligence network in Sarawak, in addition to setting up a native underground resistance organisation that would assist the invading Allied forces.
Its other task was to release prisoners of war (POW) and internees from Kuching.
The first phase of the mission was intended as a reconnaissance, and a party of 45 personnel commanded by Major T. H. Harrison was inserted by parachute at Bario in the Borneo hinterland on March 23, 1945.
However, due to changes in operational plans, this party remained a separate entity and extended its operations over the northern part of Sarawak from Brunei Bay to the Padas River, over southern British North Borneo, and into sections of Dutch Borneo.
The party remained in the area until late September 1945, and in that time provided much vital intelligence information.
In addition, over 1,000 Japanese were killed by the party and local native guerillas, and civil order and temporary administration were restored at the areas under their control.
The rescue of 11 U.S. airmen and a large number of loyal Malays, Chinese and natives who were imprisoned by the Japanese were also carried out.
The second phase of Semut was the insertion of a party of 25 personnel commanded by Major G.S. Carter on April 18 1945, in the Baram River area of Sarawak.
The operations of this party covered the hinterland of the Miri-Seria area, the country between Sibuti-Beluru-Kemena River, and the area encompassed by the Tinjar-Baram-Tutoh-Akah Rivers.
Their tasks were the same as those of the North Brunei party, but in addition they were to seek information on the internal political situation and the attitude of the natives towards the post-war government.
This party landed in Bario where Major Harrison was in command and then walked over to the Baram River.
The party remained in the area until October 15 1945 although a detachment under Capt. W. L. P. Sochon moved to the Rejang River area at the end of May 1945 to open up the third phase of Semut, and a number individual personnel were extracted at various intervals.
In general, the party accomplished the tasks set for them and in particular, they achieved notable success in the organisation of native guerilla forces and the re-establishment of the administrative organisation of the area to rehabilitate the natives and preserve law and order.
