NATIONAL HERO Kanang anak Langkau passes away in Kuching

Updated: 1815hrs - State Funeral for National Hero Kanang Anak Langkau 

1945 - 2013

NST ALERT at 10:14am 3rd January 2013 read : National hero Datuk Temenggong Kanang anak Langkau died at Kuching General Hospital this morning. He was 67 years old.

Kanang (on Najib Razak's right) during a recent dialogue session with the Prime Minister.

My deepest heartfelt condolences to Kanang's family, friends and comrades who have lost a man ... who was so full of fire in his belly. 

I first met Kanang in August, 2005 in Simanggang (Sri Aman) during my course of duty as a journalist in Sarawak. 

Loud spoken, aggressive and opinionated yet Temenggong Kanang was a humble man. I've met, had long chats and worked with the hero on many 'social projects' since 2005. 

Our last meeting was in Kuching sometime in 2011. A day earlier I had bumped into him during a Biro TataNegara do in Lundu which was officiated by Sarawak chief minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud and a bearded Kanang told me he was doing his bid to educate the younger generation on the value of peace.

Having had the truly 'bloody' experience of fighting the communist terrorists in Peninsula Malaysia, Kanang was engaging the young to enlighten them on the evils of war and armed confrontations.

Whenever we bumped into each other, Kanang (who often addresses his acquittance as 'tuan') will also always remind me "Tuan, ramai lagi pejuang lama yang masih tidak dihargai. Kita kena cari dia orang'. 

For it was Kanang, the then Sri Aman police chief DSP Hamid Bulat and veteran Sarawak-based journalist James Ritchie who led me to re-discover Malaysia's sole surviving George Cross recipient Awang Anak Raweng, another legendary Iban tracker, also in August 2005.

May Your Soul Rest in Peace, TUAN KANANG! 

Agi Idup, Agi Ngelaban.


Below is another good write up on the National Hero who died today.

IBAN WARRIOR FROM SIMANGGANG: How a tracker from Sri Aman fought on, through the pain

HE is a little paunchy now in the mid-section and puffy in the face. This, together with the full-white hair on his head, can make Kanang anak Langkau, the  holder of two of the country's  highest gallantry awards, look more like a longhouse elder than the fearless Iban warrior of the Malaysian Rangers he once was.But he could still inspire the young and soon-to-be-commissioned Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) officers at Universiti Utara Malaysia recently.

Even I listened raptly to his narration of his exploits against the communist terrorists (CTs), especially in the jungles of Ulu Kinta, Perak in 1980.

I was all ears because I was the Brigade Major at the Brigade headquarters in Ipoh and had monitored that particular operation and his platoon's every move. I also realised that there were a number of things that Kanang and his rangers had gone through during that operation which were not known to me.

We had fired hundreds of artillery rounds into the area of operation before the rangers were to move in. The object was to destroy an enemy camp reported to be in the area, as well as to hit those who happened to be in the vicinity.

The rangers were then to hunt down the CTs who survived and were making their escape after the artillery fire lifted.

It turned out that the artillery pounding never did hit any of the CTs. But it successfully turned the area to be searched into a mangled mass of shattered and fallen tree trunks and other debris, making it difficult for the rangers to move, let alone search the area.

I remember the commanding officer, the late Lt-Col Loone, telling me of the difficulties but that Kanang's platoon had somehow managed to get through and even picked up the enemy scent.

Kanang, to this day, cannot forget that part of the ordeal of going through the mess and tracking the CTs at the same time.

READ more - A true hero continues to inspire the next generation