Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Retirement's Life

Kanang retired after 21 years of service as a First Warrant Officer. He was the Temenggong (paramount chief) of the Iban in Sri Aman, his place of residence. He was awarded the Officer of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak (PBS) (Malay: Pegawai Bintang Sarawak) in 1987.

Malaysia’s most decorated war hero Kanang Anak Langkau could have died as a pauper as his military services – helping to liberate Malaya (and later Malaysia) from the communists were not respected as a hero should be until he and few other war heroes made noise complaining that they had been treated shabbily both by the Federal Government and Sarawak State Government.

There are 16 receiver for PGB and SP medal, which is both of it is about bravery. Kanang is one of the. Unfortunately after retire,their contributions were not financially recognized – not even a sen and their welfare were not taken care of, as compared to financial rewards and other perks given to communist terrorists who surrendered.Their contributions were initially not rewarded, not even a sen except they received pensions like other retired civil servants.The heroes were not even invited to attend national day celebrations.

Angered by the ill-treatment, Kanang even refused ‘Datukship’ offered to him saying he was a poor man and could not afford to receive the title of ‘Datukship’.Their woes got the attention of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lubok Antu in Sarawak Mr. Jawah Gerang who raised the issue in Parliament some time in 1980s. Approved by the government, a PGB holder was given a monthly allowance of RM300 and a SP holder RM400.

In 2006, the parliament approved the issue that was brought by delegations of heroes from Sarawak, that is about their allowances, and the parliament give a SP holder receives RM2,000 a month, while a PGB holder receives RM1,900 a month.

For his knowledge in Iban traditions and customs, Kanang was later made a Temenggong for the Iban community of Sri Aman division and last year he was conferred a Datukship by the state government.On 15 April 2009, he made headlines after rescuing a baby orangutan from captivity with his friend, Tay Choon Yong. The baby orangutan was being handed to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.

In 2011, Kanang supervised Operation Mai Pulai (operation Bringing Back). This operation involved the locating and exhumation of the remains of 21 Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers who were killed during the Second Malayan Emergency. Their remains were exhumed from multiple location on the Malay Peninsula and returned to Sarawak where they were ceremonially reburied in July 2011.


Kanang after retire and planting vegetables to support his life.

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