Malaysian commando: We do what we are told to do

KOTA KINABALU- The role of the elite VAT69 commandos in the operation against armed intruders in Sabah's east coast last year was to carry out their instructions without questioning them, the High Court heard yesterday.

VAT69 senior officer Deputy Superintendent Abdul Rani Alias said this when asked by defence counsel Datuk N. Sivanathan why he did not seem interested in digging for more details from his superiors on tasks assigned to him.

The task included a trip to Semporna on March 3 to assist VAT69 commandos in an operation to rescue policemen who were trapped during an attack in Simunul water village.

During Sivanathan's cross-examination, Rani told judge Stephen Chung Hian Guan that he was ordered by his superior, VAT69 commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Azizan Abdul Aziz, to go to Semporna.

He did so but was not involved in the operation.

He said he did he know how many policemen were trapped and neither was he briefed by Special Operation Unit chief Deputy Superintendent Hisham Mahmood on the rescue mission when in Semporna.

Rani agreed that his trip there was "sia-sia" (wasted) but stressed he was informed that the operation was successful.

Sivanathan: As a VAT69 senior officer, did you not want to find out why you were asked to go to Semporna and what was happening there?

Rani: In commando, it is command and do. We act on the need-to-do basis.

Sivanathan: So you follow orders without questioning them?

Rani: I agree.... but not all the time.

On March 6, Rani was instructed by his superior, Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun, who was then Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director, to help army forces raid houses in Tanjung Batu (Felda Sahabat) where some armed intruders were believed to be hiding.

He added that the raid was to chase the armed intruders to other areas.

Questioned by Sivanathan, he replied that he did not question Rashid on the need to chase the intruders instead of capturing them.

Rani said that shooting had occurred from a house in Tanjung Batu between 4pm and 5pm on March 6 and he came across a burnt body in the house on March 20, after it was razed.

Earlier, when Sivanathan questioned him about the first leaflet dropped by security forces on Feb 25 about 9am, Rani replied he was not aware of the leaflet.

The leaflet, with the headline "Dan Gumuwa", (safe passage) advised Sulu armed intruders holed up in Kampung Tanduo to put down their weapons and surrender.

The leaflet instructed the armed intruders to hide and bury their firearms and to bring along only the leaflet if they wished to surrender.

Rani told the court he was not aware about another leaflet dropped in Kampung Tanduo on Feb 27 at 2.45pm.

This leaflet acted as the last warning for armed intruders to surrender and not to push security forces to react.

On March 1, gunfight occurred between VAT69 commandos responsible for close reconnaissance operation and gunmen near Kampung Tanduo.

In the skirmish, two commandos were killed while three were injured.

Hearing continues today.