Bloody incident in Simunul, Semporna still fresh in villager's memories

That was when a bloody tragedy occurred, leaving Malaysians reeling in shock, 19 days after a group of armed terrorists from southern Philippines landed in the village of Tanduo, Lahad Datu.

It began with the armed aggression in Tanduo, a remote village located approximately 140km off Lahad Datu town, which later turned into a battlezone between Malaysian security forces and the terrorists, spreading to other areas, particularly the village of Sri Jaya Simunul.

Recalling the incident in Tanduo on March 1, days after negotiations to drive the terrorists out without bloodshed failed, clashes took place between security forces and the terrorists, which saw two armed VAT 69 police commandos killed in action.

A day after, Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul saw a bloody encounter that left six policemen killed in an ambush by the foreign intruders. It transformed the water village, which is usually serene and quiet, into a state of chaos.

Today, calm has returned as villagers go about their daily life and related activities in peace and harmony. Nevertheless, the tragedy is still fresh in the memory of some Kampung Simunul villagers.

A villager, Mohd Zainal Marasad, 18, who was a witness to the bloody battle between Malaysian armed forces and the terrorists, said he could still recall the incident which occurred during Maghrib prayers.

He said, at the time of the incident, he was with his family at their house, located next to a house which was the location of the attack.

"We saw the light and heard the sound of gunfire. After the gunshots, we were crouching in fear...and power supply was cut for a while," he told a Bernama journalist and photographer who visited the scene recently.

Clearly traumatised by the incident, Mohd Zainal said it was difficult for him to put behind the horrific episode.

A village head, Abdul Rahim Mangsahirun, 58, said villagers were currently carrying out their daily chores as if nothing happened.

"...There is no disturbance and without fear, I can walk from one end of a bridge to the other. But if I begin to recall the bloody incident, I feel like it had just happened yesterday," he said.

Abdul Rahim who has been the village head since Jan 1, last year, assumed the position from his late brother, Ramlee Saraman. As village head, he has to maintain the security of the village and monitor the situation, should there be reports on sightings of strangers.

He said the bloody intrusion by the terrorists had left an indelible mark on his life.

A resident, self-employed Karman Karno, 57, said the tragedy was not easily be forgotten by the people in Semporna, but it taught him to be more alert and cautious.

"We feel safe now with frequent patrolling of police and security forces in our area. Although it has been a year now, the villagers will not forget the tragedy easily," he added.

Following the terrorist intrusion, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the establishment of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESScom) on March 7.