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- Saari Yusof
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- Saari shows the part of his leg where he was shot by a communist.
SIBU: The year was 1975 when constable (60223) Saari Yusof from Police Field Force (PFF) 15th Battalion in Lanang Camp here shot dead a communist during a reconnaissance mission deep in the jungles of Ulu Salim.
Only in his early twenties then, he was not given a commendation letter as his superior told him he was still new to the force.
Fast forward to present day, Saari, now 65, lamented that the prestigious ‘Pingat Gagah Berani’ had been elusive for him despite having put down a communist.
He, however, was accorded the ‘Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara’ (PJPN) few years ago.
“I hope the government can consider me for the ‘Pingat Gagah Berani’,” said the former PFF personnel who now resides in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
Saari was with Association of Ex-Police Field Force Personnel (Peninsula committee) president Nadarajan Rengasamy at the reunion ceremony for ‘Squad PPH Batalion 15’ here on Saturday.
The father-of-four recalled his six-man platoon encountered two communists during the mission.
“I shot dead one of them and this all happened very fast,” he narrated.
In one of the missions, he was shot in the leg, causing him to walk with a slight limp these days.
He served in Lanang Camp from 1975 till 1982 when he was posted to Johor Bahru.
Saari also shared many fond memories of the days when he was serving in Lanang Camp.
“This is my first time returning to Lanang Camp Sibu after I got transferred back in 1982,” he said.