IN November 1961, a new scheme for engineering degree scholarship was approved by the Federation Army for the Federation Military College (FMC) at Port Dickson. I was honoured to be awarded the first scholarship after my Higher School Certificate examination in November 1961.
Originally, I was recruited from King Edward VII School in Taiping to join the Boys Wing of FMC on Jan 2, 1958. Earlier on, in October 1961, I was offered a Colombo Plan scholarship for geology in New Zealand, but I declined it. I was hoping to pursue engineering, which I felt would be more creative, meaningful and challenging.
However, in accepting this army scholarship, I was required to join the officer cadet (O/C) military training in FMC before going to university. Indeed, I joined the army to go to university! The army tag line was "be an officer first, and then an engineer".
So, on Jan 2, 1962, I joined the Cadet Wing of FMC by signing the Document of Attestation to serve king and country. After two years of training, I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant by the King on Dec 8, 1963, into the Federation Engineers.
Later, on June 22, 1969, I graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Engineering degree. This was followed by a six-month army engineering course in July 1969, at the College of Military Engineering in Pune, India, to be an army engineer.
During the four-month long university vacation in February 1966, I was sent to the Engineer Squadron to do a 12km road project from Tebakang to Tebedu, off Serian (60km east of Kuching). It was during the Indonesian Confrontation.
On April 16, 1966, about 40 communists came from south of the border. Being under the local protection of the British Mid-West Brigade Light Infantry Regiment, I reported to the British Commander.
Immediately, he sent in his rifle company with two tracker dogs. In the ensuing battle, two communists were killed and brought back to base camp for police action. Two of his officers were honoured with bravery awards of the Military Cross by the British army.
In September 1973, I was selected to attend the post graduate defence technology course at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, England.
Unprecedentedly and miraculously, the College Commandant General approved my two weeks leave application in addition to the college's two weeks Christmas-cum-New Year break in December 1973.
I flew home by Royal Air Force (RAF) jetliner to RAF Seletar in Singapore, and then by train to Taiping to marry my Cinderella. With my new wife on an army air ticket (for wife only), we flew back to London by Qantas jumbo jet and then resided in the college's complimentary family quarters for married officers on long courses of more than a year.
Overseas officers who brought their families were mostly from Australia, Pakistan and Canada. The local British officers too had their families with them. Meanwhile, family social activities were hugely encouraged in the college.
A GREAT PRIVILEGE
In my 30 years of service, I enjoyed the independent unit command the most. On Jan 1, 1970, as a captain, I was posted as the Troop Commander in 4 Engineer Squadron in Tawau to build the 92m-meter (300 feet) long, Class 60 double-storey Bailey Bridge at the Silabukan River at Lahad Datu-Tungku Road in East Sabah.
Then, on Jan 1, 1973, as a major, I was given command of 2 Engineer Squadron in Sandakan, Sabah. We were carrying out various civic action projects to win the hearts and minds of the local Sabahans, a brainchild strategy of our then prime minister-cum-defence minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.
We built four youth hostel complexes for Sabah Foundation in Tawau, Beluran, Sandakan and Beaufort, and a 6km road to Lamag, off the Ranau-Sandakan road. At the birthday celebration of the Governor of Sabah on September 16, 1973, I was conferred with the award of The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu, (Ahli Darjah Kinabalu, ADK).
Before my squadron's roulement (movement of troops for a short period of duty to relieve another force) back to Taiping in June 1973, I had the privilege of conquering Mount Kinabalu with 13 of my army engineers on May 1,1973. It was indeed a great privilege and achievement to conquer the highest mountain in Malaysia, which loomed at 4,096m meters (13,438 feet) high.
After my return to Taiping, I was appointed as the President of the District Court Marshal at Brigade Headquarters (Brigade HQ) in Ipoh on July 12, 1973. With a panel of four other officers, I conducted the trial of a deserter of two years (absent without leave for more than 21 days). Under military law, a unanimous decision ordered the sentence of six months' jail followed by dishonourable discharge from the army with the endorsement of Brigade HQ.
On September 15, 1973, as Officer Commanding of 2 Engineer Suadron in Taiping, I was given the honour by Brigade HQ to command the birthday parade for HRH the Sultan of Perak at the grounds of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
A couple of years later, on Jan 1, 1975, I was posted to 15 Engineer Park Squadron in Kuala Lumpur. My initial task was to prepare the sports field complex in the Ministry of Defence Ministry for the third World Cup Hockey competition in March 1975, under the patronage of the president of the World Hockey Federation, Chief Justice Raja Azlan Shah.
On Jan 1, 1985, as a lieutenant colonel, I was appointed as the Commandant of the School of Military Engineering in Kluang and had the honour to host the official visit of our Colonel-in-Chief, HRH the Sultan of Perak on July 6, 1985.
By the end of the year, I found myself posted to 4 Infantry Division as the Commander of Royal Engineers under the command of General Officer Commanding Major General Dato'Datuk Osman Zain.
My main task was to provide combat engineer support in the areas of operation in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan during the height of the communist insurgency.
The hottest area was in west Pahang under the command of master tactician, Brigadier General Datuk Chong Thean Bok, who was in hot pursuit of Communist chief Chong Chor of 6th Assault Unit, Malayan Communist Party.
As a professional engineer, I also supervised the construction of the 600m-metre Classification Rifle Range at Bukit Merbau in Kelantan. Then I had the privilege of hosting the grand opening of this rifle range by HRH the Sultan of Perak on July 25, 1987.
This was followed by a shooting competition between the Royal Engineers under my Colonel-in-Chief, HRH the Sultan of Perak and the Royal Artillery Regiment under their Colonel-in-Chief,, HRH the Sultan of Kelantan.
MEMORABLE JOURNEY
After the end of the communist insurgency under the Second Malayan Emergency on Dec 2, 1989, peace returned to our country. With the financial recession in 1987, officers could retire earlier after the age of 40. So, on Nov 2, 1991, I retired with the consent of the King's Commission.
As a registered professional engineer, for another 30 years, I served as a developer, contractor and engineering consultant. Some of my notable projects include the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Essential Services and Aircraft Auto-Landing System at RM21 million) in 1995-1997, Papar Water Treatment Plant in Sabah (RM198 million for 40 million litres daily, MLD) with 86km pipelines in 2007-2008, and the Labuan Island water supply (RM368 million for 38 MLD) from the Padas River at in Beaufort, in mainland Sabah through 48km of pipelines (700 mm diameter), including 28km undersea in 2009-2011.
Truly, I'm profoundly grateful to the army for an exciting and fulfilling life and career as an army engineer in my service with glory and honour of king and country. It was through three decades of war and peace (Confrontation 1963-1966 and Second Malayan Emergency 1968-1989).
The army discipline, character building and command leadership enabled me to make command decisions on site except for additional works and costs. The biggest client was Putrajaya Ministry of Power, Green Technology & Water for the Labuan water supply, which was my most satisfying project as a climax of my engineering career. On Feb 26, 2011, the grand opening was declared by Malaysia's prime minister.
After 30 years of service, I was conferred with the award of Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN) by the king on June 2, 1982, and the Ahli Cura Si-Manja Kini (ACM) by HRH the Sultan of Perak on April 19, 1990.
I was also honoured by Maybank with a commemorative plaque and presented a branded wrist watch at their Unsung Heroes Night celebration on November 30, 2018, for the Indonesian Confrontation in 1966.
The bottom line? "The world may give you a job, but the army gives you a life."
Today, Jan 2, 2022, marks Ingenieur Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Raymond Goh Boon Pah's 60th anniversary of service to king and country.
