PUTRAJAYA, July 31 — At every treatment to fix the nerves in his hand, DSP Mohamad Hasnal Jamil’s mind flashes back to the bloody intrusion at Kampung Simunul in Semporna, Sabah a decade ago.
The senior police officer, who was assigned to participate in Op Daulat to fight Sulu terrorists in March 2013, suffered permanent disability with several scars on his body bearing testimony to the bloody skirmish.
Recounting the incident, Mohamad Hasnal said the tragedy very nearly claimed his life when three shots hit him in the stomach and left arm, besides being hacked on the head and hand by the axe-wielding enemy in Kampung Simunul, Semporna.
“To this day, I am still receiving follow-up treatment to repair the nerves in my hand that was injured in the incident, so this is a mark that I will remember for the rest of my life … it feels like it happened yesterday.
“The episode does not weaken my spirit to continue serving, especially when remembering friends who died in the incident,” he told Bernama during the Warriors’ Day celebration at Dataran Pahlawan Negara here today.
Describing the incident as one of the many challenges in the line of duty, the 41-year-old Bukit Aman Special Branch officer from Kedah said the disability did not prevent him from continuing to serve in the blue uniform.
In February 2013, Malaysia was shocked by the invasion of armed Sulu terrorists who entered the country’s waters in stages at Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu, which led to a confrontation on March 1 in Kampung Tanduo and Kampung Simunul which also saw 68 Sulu terrorists killed.
The conflict was declared over on April 10, 2013.
The six policemen who died in the bloody incident in Kampung Simunul that occurred on March 2, 2013, were ACP Ibrahim Lebar, DSP Michael Padel, Sergeant Major Baharin Hamit, Sergeant Major Abdul Aziz Sarikon, Sergeant Salam Togiran and Corporal Mohd Azrul Tukiran.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azrul’s parents, who were also present at the Warriors’ Day tribute, expressed deep anguish over the loss of their beloved son.
Tukiran Ahmad, 75, who is also a former soldier, attended the with his wife Saadiah Mohd Amin, and both could not hold back their tears when recalling the moment they received news that their son was killed.
“It was like yesterday when the news was delivered to us, even after 10 years, and sometimes we still hear his voice calling out to us. Who doesn’t remember their children, we only have two sons and he (Mohd Azrul) is gone forever,” said Tukiran whose loss was only comforted by the fact his son died in a noble cause.
Meanwhile, there was nary a dry eye watching the special pantomime staged to commemorate 10 years since the Kampung Simunul invasion, which was produced by the director of Bukit Aman Department of Internal Security and Public Order, Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today also graciously attended the parade in conjunction with the 2023 Warriors’ Day tribute at Dataran Pahlawan Negara here.
