Julia speaking with Utusan Borneo’s Vivi Olviana Najurus during the Warriors’ Day celebration.
KOTA KINABALU: Retired woman soldier, Lieutenant Julia Yusof opined that the distinction between being a soldier and other civil servant is that a soldier is required to sacrifice his or her life for the country.
“The moment we put our signature to faithfully serve as a soldier, what this entails is if the situation calls for it, we have to be willing to put our life on the line,” she said.
Speaking after the Hari Pahlawan 2019 (Warrior Day 2019) Sabah Level celebration held at the Likas Sports Complex near here, Julia said she worked in the Terengganu during the reign of the 18th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and that she retired in the year 2008.
She said she was probably among the last few people who met and spoke with the late Major Mohd Zahir Armaya, who was killed during a live firing demonstration which was held in conjunction with the Fifth Infantry Division and 13th Infantry Brigade at the Lokkawi Army Camp in early September, this year.
She said the late Major was a member of her squad when both of them entered the Kolej Tentera Darat Ulu Tiram Johor in 2001 as army cadets.
“Prior to the demonstration, I met with Allahyarham. I had a chat with him and greeted him prior to the demonstration, and I feel I was one of the last people he spoke to before the tragedy occurred,” she said.
She also said that the tragedy unfolded right in front of her eyes and she felt ill the next day.
Asked about the challenges facing those opting for a career in the military, she said that the challenges were not the same as before.
“Now we have threats in the form of ideology. Before this, it was only about arms,” she said.
She said that ideology threats require those in the army to be prepared mentally as the threat can seep quietly and threaten the safety of the country through the social media.
Julia said she would be proud if more women were to choose the army as their career of choice nowadays.
“This is a huge contribution to the country,” she said.
Meanwhile, the momentous Hari Pahlawan event was witnessed by Sabah’s Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Dr Juhar bin Datuk Haji Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Seri Panglima (Dr) Hajah Norlidah Binti Tan Sri Datuk RM Jasni, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Haji Apdal and his wife, as well as several cabinet ministers.