KUCHING: An exhibition on Memories of the Indonesian Confrontation in the Kelabit Highlands 1963-1966 will be launched on March 25 in Bario.
It is being held in conjunction with the 80th Anniversary of WWII’s SEMUT campaign in Sarawak, involving reconnaisance operations carried out during the final stages of the war.
The adviser to Rurum Kelabit Sarawak, Datuk Ose Murang said this day recognises the community’s legacy and commitment to valour in war during the SEMUT WWII campaign, and later during the Confrontation.
He said this after giving a talk on the Indonesian Confrontation in the Kelabit Highlands 1963-1966, at the Borneo Cultures Museum Auditorium, today.
He said the talk provided an initial documentation of the role played by the people in the Kelabit Highlands, in the hope of embedding their significant contribution in the fight to defend the freedom of their young nation, Malaysia.
He said records show that a total of 300 local individuals were enlisted as Border Scouts during the Confrontation, and 94 as guerillas during WWII.
“The stories of these local soldiers from the Kelabit, Penan, Sa’ban and Kenyah communities in the Kelabit Highlands have been passed down to their children and grandchildren and are now stories of the community at large.
“It is hoped that the talk and later the exhibition will provide a lasting and useful documentation of the people’s contribution in the history of their nation.
“This is important not only for Sarawak’s historical heritage in nation building but is also of special interest to tourists, visitors and the community,” he said.
He went on to say that the talk and exhibition present the stories as illustrated by photographs, a painting of a conflict, from five Argyll and Sutherland Highlander soldiers namely Second-Lieutenant Andrew Dewar-Durie CBE, Commander of 4 Platoon in Pa Main and later Pa Umor, Second-Lieutenant David Phillips Thomson CBE, Commander of 3 Platoon in Pa Umor and later Pa Lungan; Corporal Jock Barr, Private John Campbell and Private Jim Auchterlonie.
He also said, the Gurkhas who supported this project were Lieutenant Colonel John P. Cross OBE, Commandant of the Border Scouts in Sarawak and Sabah on secondment from 1/7 Royal Gurkha Rifles; and Medical Orderly Paul Bostock of the Royal Army Medical Corps attached to the 1/6 and later with 1/7 Royal Gurkha Rifles based with 6 Platoon of D Company at Long Banga Camp.
He mentioned that Field Intelligence Officer Corporal John Cartwright of the Intelligence Corps based at Long Banga Camp also provided photographs and information including a most valuable video of his time in the Fourth Division.
“Selected stories from local Border Scouts are presented to provide local perspectives, especially on the significance of the Confrontation to their lives – then, now and the future,” said Ose.
Materials for this talk and exhibition were researched by Ose, and Datin Dr. Valerie Mashman MBE, Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Borneo Studies, Unimas, in collaboration with five Argylls and Gurkha soldiers whom they met, befriended and/or corresponded with by email since 1984 and more recently from 2020, and from some limited local sources associated with the photographs.
