KUCHING: The last Sarawakian surviving recipient of the nation’s highest gallantry award Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), Cpl (rtd) Etim Bijam, who passed away in Miri today will be laid to rest at the Heroes Grave here, according to a family member.
Etim, who was 83, died at the Miri Hospital at around 6.30 am. He has been seeking treatment for lung cancer.
His remains are now at his residence at Lot 2708, Spring Riam in Miri for relatives, former colleagues and friends to pay their last respects.
Linda Nacha, the late Etim’s eldest daughter, said her father’s remains will be flown from Miri to the state capital in a military aircraft on June 6 at 9 am.
The body will be brought to the Kuching Dewan Suarah the next day before proceeding to the St Thomas Cathedral for funeral services, after which he will be buried at the Heroes Grave.
The SP or the Grand Knight of Valour medal is the highest federal award in Malaysia, and it is ranked higher than the Darjah Yang Maha Utama Kerabat Diraja Malaysia (DKM) or the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia, and it outranks the awards which carry the titles of Datuk, Tan Sri or Tun.
The award is equivalent to Victoria’s Cross (VC) in the United Kingdom and to the Medal of Honor (MOH) in the United States of America.
However, the award does not carry any honorific titles but SP holders and their families are entitled to monetary allowances.
The SP, founded by Tuanku Hisamuddin Alam Shah, for Malaysians who display “supreme courage and bravery in extraordinary and highly dangerous situations” was created on July 29 1960, and gazetted on Aug 11 1960.
Of the 30 SP recipients nationwide, only seven were Sarawakians, namely Lenggu China (Armed Forces — ATM), Etim Bijam (Police Field Force — now General Operations Force — GOF), Ngalinuh Bala (GOF), Rasli Buang (ATM), Reggie Deli (GOF), Kanang Langkau (ATM), and Nuing Saling (GOF).
The first recipient of the esteemed award was the late Special Constable of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Veloo Rajavelu, who was honoured for fighting against piracy in Klang in 1962, and community service.
With the passing of Etin, there are now only three surviving SP holders left in Malaysia.
In the book ‘Crimson Tide Over Borneo’ written by James Ritchie, Ngalinuh led five police officers, including Etim, who defended a convoy of three Public Works Department (PWD) personnel during a fierce battle against 30 communist terrorists (CTs).
A month after the formation of RASCOM in 1972, the convoy was attacked by CTs at Oya Road in Sibu while delivering an explosive cache to the PWD quarry in Mubal.
According to Ngalinuh in Ritchie’s book, the police officers were seated at the back of the explosives-laden lorry.
During the first two-thirds of the journey, they were attacked and showered with bullets and grenades. Etim and Ngalinuh’s team, who were trained for such an event, coordinated their charge while travelling to the CT hideout, holding their ground before storming the stronghold.
A platoon of PFF personnel patrolling in the area heard the shootings and reinforced Ngalinuh and Etim.
After a four-hour tough battle, they took control of and searched the CT hideout only to find vital information of the CT movements within the area.
The PFF, which managed to capture three CTs, decided to spent the night at the enemy stronghold before turning over the CTs to the closest military base.
Itim suffered from permanent ear damage from the constant shooting at the enemy from the dispute between the PFF and the CTs that fateful day.
Etim and Ngalinuh learned afterwards that they would be receiving the SP award; on July 6, 1972, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong presented the SP medals to Etim and Ngalinuh in recognition of their valour during the communist ambush.
Ngalinuh passed away at 79 years old on June 22 2020, a week after being hospitalised from an abdominal operation at the Miri Hospital.
