SHAH ALAM: The soldier from Batalion 7 Rejimen Sempadan who went missing along the Malaysian-Brunei border near Limbang on June 18 has come out the jungle alive. Private Muhammad Syafiq Abd Halim found his searchers at 11.29am today (July 6) 19 days after he went missing.
According to a release by the Army, Syafiq managed to find the markings left by SAR personnel involved in the operation and found his rescuers at the Team A forward operating base.
“Although he was weak due to de-hyadration and lack of food, he was still in his uniform and carrying his weapon (likely a M4A1 carbine). The medical team at the FOB has given Syafiq initial medical treatment.
“His family has been notified of his return and they will be flown to Sarawak at the cost of the Army as soon as possible,” the release added. The Army said it was grateful for involvement of other agencies in the SAR operation from the police, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Department of Survey and Mapping of Malaysia, and the Armed Forces of Brunei.
The release said a board of inquiry has been set-up to determine the cause of the incident and find ways to improve its standard operating procedures for such operations.
— Malaysian Defence.
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Good for him.
The 3 crew members of KD Perak – a LT, midshipman and Able Stewart – were never found; as were a group of PASKAL men who went missing in the Spratlys.
One of the midshipmen who survived the sinking is the current PTL.
I knew one guy who went missing during operations in Gerik in the early 80s. He went AWOL during operations while in the jungle and he was declared missing. Turned he cannot stand being in operations in jungle – during those time it is usually up to three months.
He married the daughter of one my neighbours. I only found out about it some years later by reading my father’s unit annual year book.
Good jungle surviving form our army personnel.
We also have a few pilots whose remains were never located. In the 1990’s we had a case of a soldier who got lost and ended up in Thailand. He was detained there and handed back.
What unit was your dad in? RMR?
I just realised something. For the 1st time in our history the RMN has a No.1 and No.2 who are submariners.
RMR.
The PTL got his dolphin from Oz though it was before the submarine project. The Timbalan was the first submarine CO.
It was fortunate he did not make his way into Brunei, but I guess since the Brunei Army is involved with SAR it wouldnt have been a diplomatic incident seeing how close we are, unlike say a person going across the other side in Kashmir.
Amazing.
The PTL was amongst the batch who trained in Australia. Years before we even got subs we sent people to Turkey, Sweden, France and Holland for sub training.
We have close relations with Brunei but it’s too be expected. I
If we go back into history though there have been hiccups it. It refused to join the Malaysia Federation because the Sultan would have been one of many and due to other concerns. There was an attempt to get Brunei to join the FPDA without East Malaysia being included but that went nowhere and a few years ago there were some issues with an overlapping gas field which the press reported on then went quiet. Then there was the Limbang controversy in the 1980’s. As it stands Brunei has a defence agreement with Britain. It also hosts the British Jungle Warfare School which originally the Brits planned to maintain in Malaysia but due to certain factors never happened. Brunei maintains a whole Ghurka regiment which it fully pays for; that traditionally was for internal security [the Brunei Revolt is fresh in their minds] and against the possibility of troubles with a larger neighbour.