Enter the Sahabat

My heart raced a little as we pass through the valleys. I see greens everywhere.

The road ahead surrounded with more palm oil plantations.

"Do you think there are snakes," I asked my cameraman.

"Surely there is," he said and added, "there might still be Sulu militants still hiding behind those bushes as well," he joked.

I squinted my eyes trying to look if I can see any signs of movements behind the trees.

I was a little nervous even the night before, the thought of visiting Felda Sahabat a month after the Sulu intrusion gave me chills.

Soon we reached the first mini-town, there was a Petronas station, a row of shops and eateries.

We decided to have breakfast first before venturing further into Felda Sahabat.

My initial worry seem to slowly vanish as I observe everyone in the vicinity while enjoying my roti canai.

They seemed very calm going about their daily business.

Earlier I noticed a group of officers in uniforms patrolling with guard dogs.

This is the first time I'm entering any sort of Felda plantations. One thing here they have quite nice mini-townships. Kencana, Cenderawasih. It's like a little community on it's own.

From the entrance to our meeting place in Felda Residence took us almost an hour. That is how big Felda Sahabat is.

As we went along there were posters of BN candidate for Silam parliament and Tungku state where Felda Sahabat is.

No signs of the opposition candidates posters whatsoever.

We finally met up with the rest of the media personnel at the Felda Residence Resort. Yes there is a resort in the middle of Felda Sahabat and they even have their own beach. For a moment it felt like a mini-beach vacation. So I wish.

After gathering with the rest, we made our way into Tanjung Labian. The army will be giving out aids to the villagers affected by the intrusion. About 120 boxes of goods were distributed to the four villages that were affected.

When we reached the village, villagers were already eagerly waiting for the handouts in the form of clothes especially for women and children.

There were at least 20 families temporarily staying in the community hall as their homes were utterly destroyed in the attack.

One woman was cradling her baby to sleep in the sarong swing.

"I still can't accept it. Every time I go back to where our house is, I will cry," she said.

Karolina couldn't fight back her tears of losing everything she had during the intrusion. What's left are only the rubbles where her house once stood.

"Nothing. We ran with only the clothes on our back. Our ICs, birth certs all gone," the mother of seven said, wiping dry her tears.

Her only wish is that her house will be rebuild soon and together with her family, their life will return to normal as she has been staying in the shelter for almost a month now.

In other parts of the village, villagers are picking back the pieces of their lives. A few houses are being rebuild, repainted, and as good as new.

Some houses just stood as it is, in the rubbles, just like a scar reminding them of the incident where their homes were intruded.

The Sulu militants were said to occupy some of the houses after the village was evacuated. They ransacked the whole place and made it their own. That was after the armed forces launched an offensive attack after they refused to budge.

The journey into Kampung Tanduo was something else. Entering the second day, I wasn't worried anymore.

The sight armed forces with of machine guns within few metres distance is a norm. Most of the time I only prayed that the trigger is locked.

The roads into the village is mostly filled with "ouch and ahh"s as our 4WD crossed through the uneven terrain.

About an hour later we soon reached the village which has now changed into a tactical camp by the armies.

After the intrusion, the Kampung Tanduo was declared unsafe for villagers. Instead about 200 armed forces now occupy the area.

Tanduo was the first place where the Sulu militants infiltrated Felda Sahabat. The presence of the armed forces there is a symbol of guardians of sovereignty.

"We hope it doesn't just stop there," said Haji Mahmood, the head of villagers in Tanjung Labian.

"We hope the armed forces will continue to guard this place so the intrusion will not reoccur." the bearded man with a white turban said.

Although Felda Sahabat is now declared safe, the fear is still imminent.

"Of course we are still afraid," said Karolina.

"Though we have the army now guarding the area but what had happened was so unexpected." she said still in shock.

Meanwhile some just enjoyed the presence of the armed forces in Felda Sahabat as it gives them the security confidence.

"Yes I prefer to have them staying with us, among us, so we feel safe," said Mahmood.

"It takes time but we are moving on," he added.

"Nice shoes," I pointed out to his pink sports shoes.

"It's donated," he smilingly said, as all his belongings were destroyed during the intrusion.