KANGAR: Major (Rtd) Ishak Mohd Isa, a former officer of the Royal Ranger Regiment, dedicated the majority of his 23-year military career to the front lines during the turbulent years of the Second Malayan Emergency.
His proudest achievement? Defending the independence of his beloved country - a mission he and his comrades undertook with courage.
He shared that the fighting spirit was so strong that even the harsh jungles of Gubir near the Malaysia-Thailand border were approached with anticipation and passion.
"During that time, if any unit said, 'I'm going to Gubir', everyone would react with, 'Really? Gubir?' The mere mention of Gubir struck fear because it was where many helicopters were shot down, people fell into booby traps, and fierce battles took place.
"But it was as if we (army units) were competing to see who would confront the enemy first. We would ask, 'How did that unit accomplish that?' If we got a 'hot' location, we'd think, 'We can get them,'" said Ishak when met by the NST at his home in Kampung Mata Ayer.
One of Ishak's most vivid memories is a fierce firefight between his platoon and communist insurgents in Gubir on Oct 25, 1978, a battle etched deep in his memory.
"On that day at 6.15pm, there was a great battle between my team and communist insurgents. Was I scared? Not really. Was I brave? Not quite. You're just there, doing your job. I can't explain it," said the father of five.
The battle ended the next day with Ishak's platoon unscathed, resulting in the death of one insurgent and possibly more injuries - a successful operation to drive the insurgents away from the country.
Reflecting on those challenging days, Ishak said that he and his comrades faced their duties without complaint, carrying out their responsibilities with a deep sense of pride.
"During that era, we were just doing our job. If it was a search-and-destroy operation, then search-and-destroy it was. We followed orders - what time, where to go, what to do. No problem. You just did it. There was no complaining, and sometimes we were even happy to do it," he added.
Drawing from his vast experience, Ishak believes that unity is the foundation upon which today's generation must build to honour and preserve the legacy of the nation's hard-won independence.
He urged the current generation to stand united, resist divisive ideologies, and nurture a spirit of tolerance and understanding among one another.
"The meaning of independence is that our country is free to govern itself. But maintaining this freedom is no easy task. To preserve our independence, there must be unity and tolerance between all races.
"There's no need to create conflicts, because when we fight among ourselves, others will intervene, and eventually, we'll be controlled by outsiders.
"It's like how Melaka fell. They were bickering among themselves, and the Portuguese took advantage. Today, the threat may not come physically, but it can creep in subtly," he added.
Ishak also reminded both present and future generations that it is their duty to ensure the nation's independence remains secure and cherished.
"If we don't protect ourselves, who will? If we're careless or negligent, we'll be colonised again. Read lots of books and engage in forums and discussions," he said.