Category: Politik

The days when bombs went off in my kampung

When a bomb went off one Sunday night in April 1964 at Jalan Rebong in Kampung Ubi, the impact was so large that I could feel it from my home in Geylang Serai a kilometre away.

A 50-year-old Malay widow and her only child, a 19-year-old schoolgirl, who were at a neighbour’s house were killed when the bomb exploded nearby.

Three days later, another bomb went off about a kilometre away, at the junction of Jalan Betek and Jalan Timun, at a public telephone booth. Five people were injured, including a 62-year-old Chinese woman and three Malays who lived near the booth.

As a 12-year-old boy who had just entered secondary school, I was curious as to why a bomb had gone off in my kampung area.

I cycled to Jalan Betek, the scene of the second explosion, to see the mayhem. Only the concrete base of the phone booth was left; the booth and its roof had been blown to bits. The house next door was in shambles, its sitting room badly damaged.

Months earlier, terrorists had planted a bomb at Katong Park in front of the Ambassador Hotel in Meyer Road. That park by the beach was a favourite picnic site for many of us who lived in Geylang Serai.

The series of bombings in Singapore occurred at the height of Indonesia’s “Konfrontasi” – “Confrontation” – against the Federation of Malaysia formed in September 1963. Singapore was then a part of this federation.

We were told that it was the work of Indonesian soldiers who had infiltrated the island to launch a campaign of terror in line with its “Ganjang Malaysia” – “Crush Malaysia” – campaign against the fledgling federation.

It was an act of military aggression without a formal declaration of war against Malaysia, which then President Sukarno considered a “British puppet”.

For the Malays in my kampung, Konfrontasi was a campaign of terror against civilians. The series of bombings against targets such as telephone booths, public parks and beaches targeted ordinary people.

Soon, people were afraid to visit these places.

The biggest attack was the bombing in March 1965 of MacDonald House in Orchard Road, which killed three civilians and injured 33 others.

Indonesian marines Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said were arrested, tried and convicted of murder and hanged.

Konfrontasi was a source of disappointment to my late father, who was Javanese, and his Javanese friends.

They had come to see Sukarno as a leader who had united the sprawling archipelago, and were disappointed that he had launched the campaign of terror against Malaysia, a newly emerging nation in the Nusantara, the Malay world.

Konfrontasi also became the first test of our loyalty to Singapore – and to then Malaysia of which we were a part.

The Indonesian soldiers who infiltrated Singapore to carry out the bombings were all of Malay stock. Some could have well been relatives of Malays who had migrated to Singapore from Java before the Japanese invasion in 1942.

I recall the swirl of talk in the kampung then: What should the Malays do if the saboteurs came to them to seek refuge? Should we provide food and shelter, or should we surrender them to the authorities?

Those conversations inevitably ended with the same decision: To hand over any infiltrator or wandering saboteur to the authorities.

This was no easy decision, given our kinship ties.

My father’s only sister lived with her family in Indonesia. But he lost contact with her because of Konfrontasi; they renewed contact years later, in 1971.

All that was over four decades ago. Now, the Indonesian military plans to name a navy ship after the two marines who had bombed MacDonald House and struck terror in Singapore.

We may not be the families of those who died or were injured in the bombing, but as Singaporeans, we feel outraged by the move to honour two terrorists by naming a vessel after them.

According to Indonesian Armed Forces chief General Moeldoko, the decision to name the ship was made in December 2012 with no intention to stir emotions.

But surely there are hundreds of Indonesian heroes whose names can be chosen for the vessel. Why pick the names of the two marines, when this would only open up old wounds?

Salim Osman

Source: http://bit.ly/1maEBSa

February 13, 2014
Malay/Muslim are losing faith in SAF

Handsome gerago, Jason Pereira defends the Singapore Muslims and rejects the idea that the SAF still fails to see anything beyond skin colour. He also claims that Singaporeans are losing faith in the system.

Do you agree with Jason?

Source: Jason Pereira

February 12, 2014
KRI Usman-Harun 359: Geopolitics is domestic politics

KRI Usman Harun.

After the initial reaction to the naming, it is a good time to reflect on reality. The reality of geopolitics.

Someone once told me, geopolitics is “all about winning votes”. Geopolitics is domestic politics. I am in no doubt that this is linked to Indonesia’s upcoming elections, and its moves to stir nationalism. Perhaps we can be comforted by that. But we should also be reminded to be vigilant. Because despite all the handshakes, all the smiles, and all the selfies taken, governments do to each other what wins them votes. There is no stronger drive than each country’s self-interest. If it means to cooperate, good. But if it means to invade another country half a world away, if it means claiming all of the seas to yourself, or, to insult others by honouring criminals, then it will be done. We should never be gullible, and forget that.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned much is what LKY did in May 1973. He went to Indonesia and sprinkled flowers on the two dead Marines. Imagine that. Imagine what LKY must have felt – or any Singaporean who had to do that. With all his pride, with all his ego, he must have felt like it was eating him outside out. But that’s him. Pragmatic, practical. If it means its good for Singapore, he will do it. We can disagree with him on many things, but regardless, I have much respect for him. How many leaders are like that today?

One last point about defence and National Service. If you are combat-fit and served in an operational unit, you will know this. Often, our NSFs train alongside our neighbours – regular armies – and stand as tall, if not taller, than them. Because our guys are well-trained, motivated, professional – but most importantly, because our guys know they are defending the red dot they stand on, not like some regular shipped to a far-flung base. That, more than any capabilities we buy, is the deterrent. “That even with a stick, we will chase you out of our land”. The two years of NS brings something invaluable to this country.

As we move into the future and decide what we do about NS, I hope we will do so not only considering the internal circumstances, but also appreciating the external, enduring realities.

Yongcong Choy

Source: http://on.fb.me/1iPmX0S

February 10, 2014
Orang Malaysia bengang tentera SG berlatih di Brunei

Negara Singapura tiada hutan belantara, jika tiada hutan belantara maka tidak perlu sangat lah melatih tentera nya didalam hutan. Tambahan apa yang patut dibuat ada lah melatih tentera nya mempertahan kota Singa itu pada urban warfare sahaja kerana mempertahan kan kota Singapura dari serangan musuh.

Tetapi semua nya itu jika mereka mahu terhad kan kepada mempertahan kan diri.

Bagaimana pula jika ada niat lebih dari itu? Jika mereka mahu masuk kedalam hutan dan berperang gerila dalam hutan, hutan mana pula sasaran mereka?

Kebetulan negara berhutan terletak tidak jauh dari pulau Singapura, hanya beberapa kilometer sahaja dari pulau Singa itu.Tapi apa pun kita berperasangka baik.

Singapura menghantar tentera nya berlatih mengenali hutan dan berperang didalam nya dengan menguna kan kemudahan hutan negara Brunei Darussalam.

Selain mengikat mata wang (pegged) bersama Negara Brunei , Singapura juga dibenarkan berlatih perang dalam hutan dinegara Brunei Darussalam.

Bukan sahaja tentera Singapura dilatih cara survival didalam hutan malah juga taktikal dan tatacara perang secara total.

‘Singapore and Brunei share a strong and long-standing defence relationship. In addition to regular training which SAF troops conduct in Brunei, both defence establishments conduct a wide range of bilateral exercises and professional exchanges which have enhanced the professionalism and strengthened the ties between the two armed forces.’

Mungkin menyedari bukan sahaja pertahanan yang kuat mesti ada pada kota kecil ini, maka mereka go one step further dengan memperolehi kemahiran berperang dalam hutan. Dan kebetulan keakraban dengan negara Brunei sudah terjalin maka peluang menggunakan hutan nya sebagai kawasan latihan tentera perlu diambil.

Kerana kurang kemahiran dalam hutan maka latihan diada kan secara serious, malah sehingga beberapa kali tentera nya hilang dan sesat didalam hutan Brunei itu.

Latihan boleh di kata kan serious dan penuh kesungguhan sehingga melibat kan nyawa tentera nya.

“Lance Corporal (LCpl) Muhammad Fahrurrazi Salim was the coxswain in a convoy of four boats used to support the water crossing segment of the jungle training exercise at Sungai Batu Apoi. In a statement released on their website, Singapore’s Defence Ministry said the 20-year-old was last seen wearing a life jacket on his boat at 7.55am Sunday morning. However at 8am, his boat was noticed not to have followed the convoy”

Bagi negara kita Malaysia , kita hanya mahu berfikir jika hanya mahu mempertahan kan negara sendiri, Singapura sudah pun kuat dan mantap kerana kapal perang Amerika yang berada di sekitar Laut China Selatan juga ada dan akan segera berada di sisi Singapura apabbila sahaja mereka di perlukan.

Tetapi berperang dalam hutan?

Itu harus kita waspada kerana Singapura tidak ada hutan yang besar, budak pengakap pun boleh survive dalam hutan mereka, tapi dengan kesungguhan mereka menghantar tentera nya di Brunei untuk berlatih perang, maka Malaysia harus berjaga jaga dengan tindakan “behind enemy line” dari pihak jiran kita.

Banyak fakta nyata dan mudah di perolehi berkenaan tindak tanduk ketenteraan Singapura yang ada di alam maya.

Singapore also maintains a training establishment in Brunei, known as the Jalan Aman Camp and operates support helicopters mainly to transport the soldiers to Lakiun Camp in Temburong for Jungle Training. The other Singapore military establishment in Brunei is the Lakiun Camp in Temburong. This provides jungle training for the Singapore Armed Forces in the interior of Temburong.

Kerja kita tidak lebih selain memerhatikan sahaja.

Malaysian Blogger The Chulan

Source: http://bit.ly/1beCU1F

February 9, 2014
Krisis KRI Usman-Harun 359: Shanmugam membantah, Djoko tetap tegas

Menteri Koordinator bidang Politik Hukum dan Keamanan (Menko Polhukam) Djoko Suyanto menegaskan, pemerintah Indonesia memiliki tatanan, aturan, prosedur dan kriteria penilaian sendiri untuk menentukan seseorang mendapat kehormatan sebagai pahlawan.

“Dan itu tidak boleh ada intervensi dari negara lain,” kata Djoko di Jakarta, Kamis (6/2), menanggapi kabar keberatan dari pemerintah Singapura atas penamaan sebuah kapal perang Indonesia menggunakan nama dua marinir yang terlibat pengeboman rumah MacDonald di Orchard Road pada 1965, yaitu KRI Usman Harun.

Sebagaimana diberitakan the Straits Times, Kamis (6/2), juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri Singapura kemarin mengatakan Menteri Luar Negeri Singapura K Shanmugam sudah berbicara dengan Menteri Luar Negeri Marty Natalegawa soal kasus itu. Dia menyatakan penamaan kapal perang buatan Inggris itu bisa melukai perasaan keluarga korban di Singapura.

KRI Usman Harun adalah satu dari tiga kapal perang terbaru milik TNI AL, yang mengambil nama dari Usman Haji Mohamad Ali dan Harun Said, yaitu dua marinir Indonesia yang dinyatakan bersalah atas tuduhan pengeboman yang menewaskan tiga orang dan melukai 33 warga Singapura lainnya.

Kedua marinir Indonesia itu dinyatakan bersalah dan digantung di Singapura pada 1968. Setelah aksi protes dari mahasiswa Indonesia, kedua jenazah marinir itu akhirnya dipulangkan ke Indonesia dan diberi gelar pahlawan dan dimakamkan di TMP Kalibata, Jakarta selatan.

Tidak Boleh Surut

Menko Polhukam Djoko Suyanto mengatakan, pemberian kehormatan sebagai pahlawan kepada putra-putri bangsa tentu mempertimbangkan nilai sesuai dengan bobot pengabdian dan pengorbanan mereka-mereka yang “deserve” untuk mendapatkan kehormatan dan gelar itu.

“Bahwa ada persepsi yang berbeda terhadap policy pemerintah RI oleh negara lain (dalam hal ini Singapura) tidak boleh menjadikan kita surut dan gamang untuk tetap melanjutkan policy itu dan memberlakukannya,” jelas Djoko,

Menko Polhukam mengingatkan, bahwa PM Singapura Lee Kuan Yew pada 1973 sudah menabur bunga ke makam Usman dan Harun di TMP Kalibata. Jadi seharusnya sudah tidak ada permasalahan lagi terkait isu ini.

“Tadi siang pukul 14.30 an, saya sudah jelaskan kepada Wakil PM Theo Chee Hean tentang posisi dan argumentasi tersebut,” tukas Djoko.

Ia menegaskan, Pemerintah Indonesia dalam hal ini TNI AL punya otoritas dan pertimbangan yang matang untuk memberikan penghormatan kepada pahlawannya untuk d abadikan di sejumlah kapal perang RI, seperti halnya nama-nama pahlawan yang lain.

Source: Sekretariat Kabinet Republik Indonesia

February 8, 2014