Gallantry away recipient Ngalinuh Bala to be given state funeral, says CP

Aidi conveying his condolences to the deseased’s wife and family members. – Picture by Mohamad Abdullah

MIRI: The late Ngalinuh Bala, a recipient of the country’s highest gallantry award Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP), will be given a state funeral at the SIB Lambir cemetery on Friday, said Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail.

“The police force will hold a full ceremony in recognition of the late Ngalinuh’s contribution to the country, state and his family, ” he told reporters after visiting the home of the deceased at Kampung Lusut, Bario Jaya today.

Accompanied by Miri police chief ACP Lim Meng Seah and senior police officers, Aidi said his visit was also to convey Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador’s condolences to the deceased’s wife, SabitIwat@Sinah Ngalinuh Bala, 73, and family.

Ngalinuh, who was one of two surviving SP recipients from Sarawak, died at 6.07pm yesterday after a week of hospitalisation from an abdominal operation. He was 79.

He is survived by his wife and five children – Ledea 54, Dalima 52, Elvis 49, Nasution, 47, and Kontessa 43, and nine grandchildren, one great grandchild.

Hailing from Pa’ Lungan in Bario, Ngalinuh had retired in 1995 as a Sub Inspector after serving in the now defunct Police Field Force.

Ngalinuh Bala@ Kilah Ratu who hailed from the humble Pa’ Lungan longhouse in Bario served in the Police Field Force and retired in 1995.

Ngalinuh showing the SP medal at his home in KampungLusut in Miri in 2018.

He was awarded the SP for his heroism when he was a sergeant and platoon leader with the 15h Battalion of the Police Field Force when he and his team were attacked by a big group of communist guerrillas in Sibu on April 29, 1972.

The guerrillas attacking from a vantage point pinned down the convoy of a small group of armed escorts guarding a shipment of explosives to a quarry at Jalan Ulu Oya .

After the initial attack, all the men scrambled out of the lorry and ran for cover to a nearby bulldozer.

Cornered behind the vehicle, Ngalinuh and Corporal Etin Bijam decided to counter-attack with a co-ordinated split charge at one of the enemy’s positions.

In the ensuing firefight, Ngalinuh was shot in the right thigh while an enemy was killed.

The heroic duo and their comrades held their ground to prevent explosives from falling into the hands of the attackers who retreated after reinforcements arrived.

An unknown number of enemy combatants were either killed or injured.

Both Ngalinuh and Etin received the SP from the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on July 6, 1972.

The SP was created on July 29, 1960 and was gazetted on August 11, 1960. It is ranked higher than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (D.K.M.) awarded to Malaysian Royalty.

As the highest award of the Malaysian Federal Awards, it outranks awards which carry the title of Datuk, Tan Sri, or Tun.

There have been only 30 recipients of SP in the past 55 years. Etin is now the last surviving SP holder from Sarawak.

The post Gallantry away recipient Ngalinuh Bala to be given state funeral, says CP appeared first on Borneo Post Online.

from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/2CBdzD7
via IFTTT