AF 130 DINASTI SOON DALAM ATM

DINASTI SOON 

DALAM ATM

Ketika melayari facebook Tentera Darat Malaysia, aku terbaca salah satu komen/entri oleh pembaca yang menulis bahawa tidak ramai (peratusan rendah) etnik bukan Melayu dalam Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) adalah berpunca dari sikap kurang bersifat patriotic dan tiada semangat untuk mempertahankan Negara.

Dalam tulisan ku sebelum ini yang bertajuk FAMILY OF STEVENSON aku ada menyatakan pendapatku yang tidak bersetuju dengan kenyataan seperti di atas. Banyak bukti aku tunjukkan untuk menyokong pendapatku. Selain dari kesah Keluarga Stevenson dan menyelitkan kewujudan keluarga Chan (laksamana Pertama Chan Peng Cheong) dalam ATM, aku juga memaparkan kesah keberanian pahlawan-pahlawan bukan Melayu (khususnya bangsa Cina) yang sanggup menggadai jiwa dan raga untuk melawan Jepun dan juga pengganas komunis (emergency campaign) serta menyerlahkan keberanian semasa berkhidmat di bawah panji PBB (UNO) di luar Negara seperti Kol Maurice Chan PGB, Mej Lee Ah Pow PGB, Lt David Fu PGB dan Sjn Choo Who Soon PGB.

Perkembangan ekonomi semasa, kelemahan sistem pendidikan kita serta beberapa kelemahan dalam pengurusan ATM yang menjauhkan jarak mereka (etnik bukan Melayu) dari menyertai ATM.

Ketika menelusuri tepian pantai dan melayari bahtera internet, aku menemui satu websait milik PERSATUAN VETERAN CINA ATM (PVCATM) atau MAF CHINESE VETERANS ASSOCIATION (MAFCVA) yang menyediakan pelbagai artikel sejarah kepahlawanan Veteran Cina ATM, khususnya di zaman Dharurat. Dalam websait itu aku mendapat satu cerita baru tentang satu keluarga Tionghua yang berhijrah ke Tanah Melayu dan menyerahkan hampir seluruh ahli keluarganya kepada ATM untuk berbakti kepada tanah airnya, yang bukan Republik Rakyat China bukan China Taipei, bukan Hong Kong dan bukan juga Macau TETAPI Malaysia.

Logo PVCATM (MAFCVA)

Artikel yang menarik perhatianku ini ditulis oleh Lt Soon Tet Leong TLDM (Bersara) bertajuk FAMILY HOMELAND ini menceritakan perihal keluarga SOON AH YONG yang berhijrah dari Guangdong Tanah Besar China di awal tahun 1800an untuk mencuba penghidupan baru di Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (Malaya). Pelayaran Soon Ah Yong ke Malaya adalah untuk lari dari himpitan ekonomi dan politik di China ketika itu mencari penempatan sementara namun ia berakhir dengan keputusan untuk menetap di Malaya.

AKU INGIN MEMOHON KEIZINAN PENULISNYA untuk menyalin semula kesah mereka dalam blog aku supaya dapat dibaca lebih ramai lagi pembaca di kalangan bangsa Melayu agar mereka tidak memandang negatif ke atas semangat patriotik sebahagian etnik China terhadap tanah air baru mereka Malaya yang kemudiannya menjadi MALAYSIA. Bagaimanapun aku tidak mengambil semua gambar dalam websait itu untuk menghiasi blog ini. Aku hanya memilih beberapa sahaja.

Kebetulan, Soon Tet Leong dan isterinya Lt Kol Loo Lee Fum (Bersara) pernah tinggal berjiran denganku (masa itu berpangkat Kapt/Mej) semasa aku tinggal di OMQ Blok JKR Lorong Golok (Kem KEMENTAH) antara 1993 - 2006.

Suatu waktu nanti, aku akan menterjemahkan artikel ini dalam Bahasa Melayu.

Rujukan:

http://www.macva.org.my/homeland1.html

http://www.macva.org.my/homeland2.html

BACALAH KESAH MENARIK INI.

HOMELAND

Our story started when Soon Ah Yoong had sailed to Malaya from Guangdong, China in the 1800’s. He had intended a “temporary migration” to escape the political and economic situations back home but had instead settled down for good in this country eventually. Ah Yoong had stayed put where he had first landed - Bukit Mertajam, Province Wellesley, Malaya. Our family ancestral records show that our “Soon” family line in Malaya started off from this very Soon Ah Yoong in his newly adopted homeland - Malaya.

In a quick summarised narration, which had been handed down by word of mouth from the old to the young throughout the years, Soon Ah Yoong, born circa 1790 and died in 1862, is the apex for the Soon family in this country. He is listed supremely as Generation One. Ah Yoong is buried in Kubang Semang, Bukit Mertajam. His only son, Soon Kuan Hin born in 1821, is Generation Two. Soon Kuan Hin had three Generation Three sons - Soon Seng Lee born in 1864 (was also known as the Soon Ah Lee of the Lunas, Kedah fame), Soon Seng Kee born in 1869 and Soon Seng Chiew born in 1873.

My great grandfather, Seng Kee the second born, is our third generation patriarch, and he had seven children (three sons and four daughters). My grandfather, Soon Kim Fook was the second born on 14th July 1893, is listed as Generation Four. (The graves of Kuan Hin, Seng Lee, Seng Kee and Kim Fook all still exist till this very day located in Kubang Semang, Bukit Mertajam). My late father, Soon Boon Sooi, the second born on 20th May 1919, continued as Generation Five and I, Soon Tet Leong born on 8th February 1951, belong to a very large and broad 6th Generation grouping. My sons, Kenneth Soon Pow Lee born 28th February 1982 and Lionel Soon Pow Yik born on 28th February 1986 belong to the 7th Generation category. My granddaughter, Hela Soon Yu Hui born on 10th April 2018, continues as the 8th Generation Soon in Malaysia.

This writer has often identified himself as a “6th Generation Immigrant” whenever questioned on ancestry, nationality, race or loyalty; he wonders - when do immigrants lose those “immigrant, Chinese or pendatang” tags, or after which generation of citizenry is one considered totally assimilated and by whom? Will we ever be dispensed with the “Chinese or Indian or Malay” tags in Malaysia? Can we not be simply insulted or labelled just a Malaysian? What does one have to do to prove oneself loyal and submissive to our beloved homeland?

LOYALTY

During WW II, the Japanese imperialists were truly ruthless. It had been widely reported that the Chinese Diaspora, in whichever country the Japanese had conquered, were summarily executed by mere suspicions of the Chinese assisting any resistance groups. The atrocities of the Japanese in China and the Korean Peninsula had filtered down to send shivers to the other regional Chinese Diaspora, long before the Japanese had reached the shores of Malaya or Singapore.

Despite these concerns, and answering to the calls for Malayan youths to enlist to help defend the country, two 5th Generation brothers, Soon Boon Leong born 17th November 1917 and Soon Boon Sooi born 20th May 1919 (the eldest and 2nd born respectively) enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) to help defend the nation. While in the RAMC, they had met and made friends with Hoo Eng Chong, who was born on 18th July 1922, he eventually married the brothers’ sister, Boon Foong born on 19th May 1922. The three of them enlisted at different times but underwent training together at the Tanglin Barracks in Singapore. Their training involved physical exercises, parade ground drills, and lectures in anatomy, physiology, hygiene and sanitation, first aid and wounds.

Generation 5 – Late Soon Boon Leong in 1987

The Japanese forces had landed in Malaya at midnight of 8th December 1941. At day break, they had already taken control of Kelantan and Kedah. The speed and rapid advances of the Japanese Occupational Forces compelled the Allied Forces to retreat the only way they could - southwards. Malaya fell to the Japanese after the Allied Forces withdrew to Singapore, and thereon began the three years Japanese Occupation of Malaya.

What the two brothers and future brother-in-law had learnt during their training was immediately put into practical use. Trains were still running to and from the mainland battlegrounds; the British organized ambulance train services across the Straits of Johor and the Tanjong Pagar railway station in Singapore. Boon Leong was assigned as an ambulance driver, while Boon Sooi and Eng Chong were receiving and clearing casualties at the railway station and the military hospital.

Boon Leong was making ambulance runs into Peninsular Malaya itself. He had related his experience in one of his many educating the young episodes - "In my life I have not seen so much blood. If blood flows like river, that day was the closest one I've ever seen! Till this day, I cannot bring myself to take Marmite ever again, because the thing smells like blood."

The order had already been issued to all allied forces in Peninsular Malaya to pull back to Singapore. By 7th January 1942, the Japanese had already crossed the Johor Straits. Allied positions fell while others were quickly outflanked.

Boon Sooi had recalled, "Day and night, loud explosions were heard, and these were not direct results of the Japanese bombardments but the Allied Forces were busy destroying their own ammo dumps, fuel storage tanks and even their food storage facilities. The whole sky was blackened in thick smoke."

On 15th February 1942, the British surrendered to the Japanese. Boon Leong and Boon Sooi were already prisoners of war (POW) in Singapore as a result of the surrender. They had no idea where or how the other was (neither were the defeated and humiliated British, as anyone would have guessed), but both Boon Leong and Boon Sooi were eventually released (surprisingly paroled) after a short spell of interrogation while still in captivity. Boon Sooi had even related the facts of his captivity to his children, “Japanese soldiers were truly smaller in size when compared to most of the POW’s that were paraded daily, however, a pint sized Japanese Officer’s forceful slap to the face easily felled or spun the POW’s around. He truly understood what seeing stars meant after that experience!” On their release, they separately made their way towards home up north from Singapore, on foot joining many others following the railway tracks.

Boon Leong fell ill along the way and ended up homed around Kuala Lumpur for a period of time. Incidentally, Boon Leong who was a trained agriculturist in Serdang, Selangor became a planter and was employed as the General Manger of Nyalas Estate, Jasin Malacca during the Emergency Period. He had his hands full during the insurgency, as the communist were targeting plantations all over. He was always armed for his safety and had worked alongside the government to help counter the insurgency.

Emergency Period – Soon Boon Leong (foreground planters rig strapped with a revolver) British High Commissioner visit to set up defence against communist infiltration to the village. Boon Leong’s estate quarters was the most suitable meeting place, also attended by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Boon Sooi managed to make it all the way home to Bandar Baharu, where his family was then located. Bandar Baharu is a town located along the Kedah-Penang–Perak borders. Soon Boon Chin born 13th March 1928, his youngest sister who still commands some good memories despite being 90 years old, described her brother on that day, "He was so dirty, his uniform all in tatters, and he had aged beyond the years! We burnt his uniform for fear of him being recaptured by the still lurking Japanese soldiers". Boon Sooi was then employed as a First Class Hospital Assistant in Bertam Estate, Kepala Batas until his full retirement. He assumed the role of the Medical Doctor for the entire Estate (British owned Empevan) throughout his service, qualified doctors were very scarce and they only make periodical visits to review once a week if not fortnightly.

To digress a little, it must be pointed out here that it was very uncommon for ladies to be educated in the 1940’s, leave alone being English educated. Surely, it is another story when a Chinese lady was employed with the Police Force. Boon Chin was the stenographer to the British Chief Police Officer (CPO) for Kedah and Perlis during the Emergency Period, and later with the Polis DiRaja Malaysia (PDRM) until she retired in 1983. In the days of old when computers and storage chips were not yet invented, stenographers were just equivalent to uniform or signals and radio operators, they were custodians and were all sworn to secrecy and extreme loyalty - they record minutes, typed correspondences, filed records and took notes of everything operational and sundry. 90 year old retiree Boon Chin still holds on to that oath till this day.

Back to the loyalty story, Hoo Eng Chong remained as a POW, and in June 1943 was dispatched by train to Siam. He was one of thousands who were forcibly recruited by the Japanese army to work on the Death Railway during WWII, and had survived.

Years later after my dad passed away, and on inquiring for more details related to my dad’s services in the RAMC during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, the UK Ministry of Defence had responded as follows: “….the record shows that your father was posted as missing at the time of the allied surrender of Singapore in February 1942. The next entry dates from July 1946. He is shown as formally discharged on 10th July 1946. I regret that his records do not confirm any details of your father’s actions for the period from early 1942 until his discharge in 1946.” I had wondered how British records were kept intact in Malaya during the war, more so if they were the defeated forces.

That being stated, all three were eventually reunited as a family after the war; they had re-joined RAMC when the British regained control after the Japanese had surrendered, only to then leave honourably from the RAMC, with their Cause of Discharge from the RAMC listed as follows – “Services no longer required for purpose for which he enlisted.” The Medals listed for them were 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal.

After Boon Leong and Boon Sooi, the family tradition of Soon’s serving the nation continued through their children. Both Boon Leong and Boon Sooi had passed on in 1988, six months apart from each other.

CNY Feb 2018 – The Children of Boon Leong and Boon Sooi - Tet Leong, Tet Loy, Tat Kong and Tet Seong

                       

Capt Soon Tet Loy RMN (Retired)

Captain (Capt) Soon Tet Loy RMN (Retired), the eldest son of Soon Boon Leong, was born on 21st July 1936 in Kuala Lumpur; he is incidentally the eldest offspring in the entire 6th Generation Soon family line. He completed his education and the Higher School Certificate in Bukit Mertajam High School in 1955. He had then joined the Royal Malayan Navy (RMN), on 1st April 1956.

Captain Soon Tet Loy RMN (Retired) N/400087

He had joined as a Regular Service Commission Officer, and was the second batch of naval cadet officers (soon after Tan Sri Admiral Thanabalasingam’s first golden batch) to be despatched for overseas naval training. On completion of his initial cadet training in Singapore, he was packed off to Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) to commence Seamanship training from 6th January 1957 until 7th April 1959; he was re-categorised from the Executive to the Engineer Branch in the Navy on 13th January 1959. He received his Sub-Lieutenant (Sub-Lt) commission on 1st November 1960. Training continued for him at the Royal Naval Engineering College (RNEC), Manadon Plymouth in Devon until 29th June 1963. He acquired his Engineer Officers Watchkeeping Certificate and Certificate of Competency (COC) in September 1960 on-board HMS LOCH KILLSPORT. He was promoted Lieutenant (Lt) on 1st January 1962.

Incidentally, Tet Loy had many firsts in his career. He was the first ever Malayan Naval Officer to be admitted into the RNEC. He was the first Naval Engineer Officer. He was also the first Malaysian Chief Staff Officer Technical taking over from the British. He was the Commandant of TLDM Sungei Nyior. He was General Manager RMN Naval Dockyard Nucleus Team. But, the most prestigious and notable appointment for him was when he was appointed, starting initially as the Deputy before becoming the very first Inspector General of the RMN Naval Inspectorate General Organisation, a totally new set up in 1987.

His appointments throughout his naval career were as follows:

(1)   BRNC & RNEC 1956-1963

(2)   Patrol Craft Engineer Officer 1963 – 1964

(3)   KD MALAYA Chief Technical Officer 1964 – 1966

(4)   KD HANG TUAH – Chief Engineer Officer 1966 - 1968

(5)   NAVAL STAFF DIVISION (NSD) as Staff Officer 2 Technical 1968 – 1969

(6)   COMNAV WEST Chief Staff Officer (Technical) 1969 – 1972

(7)   TLDM SUNGEI NYIOR – Commandant 1972 -1977
(8)   NSD – Lumut Base Project Officer 1977 – 1978

(9)   NSD – Head Lumut Base Progress Planning 1978 – 1981

(10) Malaysian Shipyard Engineering – On loan to shipyard 1981 – 1982

(11) RMN NAVAL DOCKYARD – General Manager 1982 – 1984

(12) FLEET MATERIAL COMMAND (FMC) – Panglima FMC 1984 -1987

(13) NSD – Deputy Inspector and Inspector General RMN 1987– 1991

Capt Soon Tet Loy (RMN) retired from the Navy in 1991 after 35 years’ service. He was awarded the KAT, KMN, AMN, PPA and PPM medals. As second career after the Navy, Tet Loy joined Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd as the Assets Manager and he remained in this job until he retired again on 21st July 2001.

He was an avid sportsman throughout his career in the service. In athletics, he participated in pole-vault while in the games category he played badminton and golf representing the Navy. A story goes amongst the older Navy folks was that left handed Tet Loy, then Engineer officer of KD HANG TUAH, had commenced a heaving line transfer at the forecastle by using a wedge golf club to pitch the heaving line across to the jetty – and successfully collected at the receiving end.

701767 Sergeant (Sgt) Soon Men Siong RMAF (Retired)

                       

Sgt Soon Men Siong RMAF was born on 11th December 1946; he is the younger brother to Capt Soon Tet Loy RMN and the 3rd son of Boon Leong. He had joined the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) on 31st March 1966 and received his basic training at the Taiping base. He qualified (through his training in the Royal Air Force Base Seletar, Singapore) and served throughout as an RMAF Aero Fireman.

701767 Sgt Soon Men Siong RMAF (Retired)

After completing a full service of 21 years in the RMAF, Men Siong retired as a Sgt on 31st March 1987. He was then gainfully employed as a Security Executive in the Genting Highlands, Pahang in a second career for another 19 years. He ceased working at the age of 60 years.

Sgt Soon Men Siong RMAF passed away on May 2017 soon after his 70th birthday. He was accorded a proper Veteran’s farewell with the send-off organised and executed jointly by the Malaysian Armed Forces Chinese Veterans Association (MACVA) and Persatuan Veteran India Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (PERIM).

200956 Soon Tet Khooi - Royal Military College (RMC), 1966-1969

Soon Tet Khooi born on 6th June 1949 is the eldest son of Boon Sooi. He had received his early education at Kepala Batas Primary and Secondary Schools after which he was successfully selected to join the Royal Military College (RMC) in the 1966-1969 intake.

RMC 1966 – 1969, Soon Tet Khooi (Rear row - 1st from right)

On his exit from the RMC, he was successfully selected into another category of the uniform services – as a Pilot in Malaysia Singapore Airlines (MSA) in 1970, however, after Malaysia and Singapore had separated as a nation, MSA was broken up into two entities - Malaysia Air Systems (MAS) and Singapore International Airlines (SIA) - he was absorbed full time into the SIA. He eventually retired as Captain from the SIA in 2004.

Malaysia Singapore Airline (MSA) and then Singapore International Airlines (SIA).

He was a certified golf coach since 1978; and is today the Director of Golf Instruction RinavAGolf, training young aspiring golfers in Malaysia.

SIA Capt Soon Tet Khooi 2018

Lt Soon Tat Kong RMN (Retired) N/401956

Soon Tat Kong, born on 23rd October 1950, is the younger brother to Capt Soon Tet Loy RMN and the fourth son to Boon Leong. He received his early schooling in Jasin, Melaka and then his secondary education in St Marks Secondary School in Butterworth. From the Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Kuala Lumpur he decided to join the Royal Malaysian Navy in May 1969, when Malaysia was then in the middle of the May 13 racial riots.

Soon Tat Kong

Tat Kong graduated as a Controls Electrical Artificer (CEA) in 1974, at the Naval Electrical School in HMS Collingwood, Portsmouth United Kingdom. He spent the initial year at HMS Fisgard in Plymouth in 1969 where he graduated by capturing The Most Prestigious “Captain’s Prize”.

He was also awarded the Plymouth’s Command Certificate for Playing Hockey for the Plymouth. He had represented HMS Fisgard in indoor hockey and badminton. He was also awarded the Portsmouth Command in Hockey and represented the Royal Navy under 23 in Hockey in 1973.

On his return from the United Kingdom in 1974, he was assigned to various naval shore establishments and ships. He was commissioned a Regular Special Duty Officer after serving 11 Years in the RMN. His final eight years in the navy was with the RMN Naval Dockyard as an Assistant Workshop Manager looking after the Exocet MM38 Missiles, the Vega Pollux System, the PAP underwater unmanned submersible and the NAJA Laser Optical System. He served the RMN for a total of 21 years before retiring.

Tat Kong lamented that recognition and rewards in the Royal Navy were better organised and managed; he had not received any awards in his 21 years of service in the RMN. He had participated actively and representatively in hockey for the Malaysian Armed Forces (State Level hockey) and squash for the Navy. He noted that he had also been sailing competitive Optimist and 470 sailboats and sailboards for the Navy for over 10 Years. He was even a qualified Ship’s Diver and served as the Diving Officer for the RMN Naval Dockyard.

RMN Ships Diver Training – Tat Kong seated first left.

On retirement in 1990, he was employed in several manufacturing organizations serving in various capacities ranging from a Plant Engineer, Factory Manager to General Manager. In 1992, he was actively involved in an International Consultancy, managing productivity and quality related projects in Indonesia, Singapore, China and Malaysia.

Tat Kong obtained his Masters in Engineering Degree (Engineering Management) from the prestigious University of South Australia in Adelaide. He is the Co-Founder of JTF Quality Management Consultancy firm specializing in productivity and quality management, offering consultancy and training services in areas such as TQM, TPM, Kaizen, Poka Yoke, CIT, ISO 9001, process reengineering, JIT, 5S, SMED, SPC, cost reduction, RCM and project management. Due to his involvement and contribution in assisting the Dublin Metropolitan University in their MBA Program Project Management and TQM, both in Malaysia and Singapore, he was awarded the Honorary Doctor of the University with the use of title Dr over his name.

Tat Kong has been in the Consultancy and Training Business for over 20 years and he has provided his services to over thirty six organizations, ranging from small factories to multi-nationals such As Caltex and Fuji Xerox. Currently, Tat Kong is the Principal Consultant in his own firm - Titan Consultancy Sdn Bhd - providing Consultancy and Training Services in Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia.

Lt Soon Tet Leong RMN (Retired) N/401733

Soon Tet Leong, born on 8th February 1951 is the 3rd son of Boon Sooi. He received his early education in Kepala Batas Primary and Secondary Schools. He undertook his Lower and Upper Six education at the Bukit Mertajam High School.

He had joined the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on 8th May 1970 and was selected to be trained in a three and a half year Naval Artificer Apprenticeship Course at the Royal Australian Navy Apprentice Training Establishment (RANATE), HMAS NIRIMBA, New South Wales Australia.

Passing Out Parade HMAS NIRIMBA, NSW Australian Oct 1973

On his return from Australia, his services continued in the following appointments:

(1)    Fleet Technical Services as Technician in various Departments – KD Hang Tuah (1973–1977)

(2)    Chief Technician as Staff Maintenance Authority, Fleet Technical Services, Singapore (1977–1979)

Soon Tet Leong was commissioned on 15th October 1979 after 9 years service.

October 1979 - Sub-Lt Soon Tet Leong

After being commissioned he worked as:

(1)   Staff Officer (SO) Grade 3 Maintenance,Technical Directorate, RMN Dept, Ministry Of Defence (1979–1981).

(2)    Project Officer  (cum Staff Officer Maintenance, MAWILA1, Kuantan (1981–1984).

(3)   Defect List Production Officer – Fleet Material Command HQ, Lumut (1984 –1985).

(4)   DOCKMASTER of the RMN Naval Dockyard, Lumut (1985-1989). 

(5)   SO 2 Technical (Head of Operations) in Malaysian Armed Forces Cataloguing Authority (MAFCA), MINDEF (1989–1992).

Tet Leong chose optional retirement in 1992 at 40 years of age.

While in service, Tet Leong had continued the family tradition in participating representative sports throughout his naval career. He received sports colours from the Royal Australian Navy for Tennis and Hockey. In the RMN, he was awarded Sports Certificate and colours for hockey and cricket.

                       

Tet Leong, an Incorporated Marine Engineer registered with the Engineering Council United Kingdom, opted out for early retirement from the Navy in January 1992 and was actively employed in various capacities from Manager, Senior Manager, and General Manager to Executive Director in the Oil & Gas Pipeline Intelligent Pigging profession and industries. He went into a full retirement in 2015, and now golf regularly to continue the love for sports.

Tet Leong is married to Lt Col Carol Loo Lee Fum (Retired) of the Royal Intelligence Corps in Dec 1980 and they have two sons Kenneth Soon and Lionel Soon.

Soon and Loo at MINDEF Central Officers Mess 1980

803381 Chief Petty Officer Soon Tet Kah RMN

Soon Tet Kah was born on 22nd June 1952. He is the eldest son to Soon Boon Siew, born on 23 April 1924, a much younger brother to Boon Leong and Boon Sooi.

Another digression, this time touching on a different way to serve the nation - Boon Siew was the Government’s Chinese Liaison Officer to the New Villages in Kedah and Perlis during the Emergency Period, after which he was appointed as the Assistant District Officer of Baling. He had retired after sitting as a Magistrate for the Kedah state in his last appointment. He was continuously armed for his own safety and protection against the communists during the Emergency and after.

1978 - Magistrate Soon Boon Siew

Tet Kah had joined the Royal Malaysian Navy on 8th May 1970 and was selected to be trained in a three and a half year Naval Artificer Apprenticeship in the Royal Australian Navy Apprentice Training Establishment, HMAS NIRIMBA, New South Wales Australia. Tet Kah was trained initially as a Shipwright but was later re-categorised an Engine Room Artificer (ERA or Marine Technician Propulsion - MTP).

                       

1971 HMAS NIRIMBA – (From left to right) Tet Kah, Roslan, Shabudin, Tet Leong.

On his return from Australia, he served in various ranks and capacities. His main job throughout was - to remain responsible to the Commanding Officer for the proper operation, maintenance and repair of main and auxiliary machineries onboard ships and shore establishments namely, main engines, generators, pumps, compressors, steering gear system, ship fluid systems. He was also required to provide technical support and act as an overseer for vessels under repair at dockyards.

Tet Kah had served in KD MALAYA, KD HANG TUAH, KD SRI MELAKA, KD SRI PERAK, KD KERAMBIT, KD BAUNG, KD TAHAN, Lumut Naval Base and KD SRI LABUAN.

He left the navy as a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) on completion of his 13 years’ service. Immediately after a short break he took up a job from 1984 -1985 as a Machining Technician in the German-Malaysia Precision Company. This job involved the skills he had acquired while in the navy - operation of precision machining equipment in the manufacture of fastenings and components for industrial/domestic usage.

From 1985-1989 he was employed as the Final Testing Supervisor with Zahnrad Fabrik Friedrichshafen Steering which involved the testing of rack and pinion steering assembly for the automotive industry.

In 1989-1990 he was employed as a Senior Technician with Tunku Abdul Rahman College as an Instructor for workshop and machine shop technology.

His final vocation, before his second retirement in 2016, was as Mechanical Technician with ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc (EMEPMI). His job on offshore oil and gas platforms involves the maintenance and repair of revolving and reciprocating equipment onboard, namely turbo machinery, pumps, compressors, diesel engines, cranes, pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

Lt Soon Tet Seong RMN (Retired) N/402000

Soon Tet Seong was born on 29th May 1953; he is a younger brother to Capt Soon Tet Loy RMN and Lt Soon Tat Kong RMN. Tet Seong had joined the RMN on 1st March 1971 before he completed his 18th birthday. On enlisting, he was sent to HMS Fisgard in April 1971, despite being under aged and not yet eligible to enter the Royal Navy Tiffin Club’s bar, but such enlistments were then allowed for, more so for long haul apprenticeship training.

Soon Tet Seong

 Tet Seong in HMS FISGARD – April 1971

His first training assignment was the Ten Tors 26 km march with full backpack, he came in first and was awarded the “Seaman knife”.

Tet Seong while undergoing his Naval Apprenticeship (Radio Electrical Artificer) training in HMS Collingwood had volunteered and participated in the Naval Brass band. This brass band had numerous engagements marching through towns where Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth had also visited.

In 1973, he had served onboard HMS APOLLO of the Royal Navy (RN); the RN ship was in the forefront and engaged in the Icelandic War against fishing craft supported by the Icelandic Patrol Crafts. In one of the confrontation, after waves from HMS APOLLO splash over the Icelandic Patrol Craft, one of their crew who was welding on the upper deck was inadvertently electrocuted. HMS APOLLO was rammed in retaliation causing a massive hole at the starboard side of the vessel. A huge pile of the HMS APOLLO crews’ belongings were washed overboard in this incident. An advisory from the British Intelligence had quickly pointed out that all foreign trainees were not to be involved in that war, Tet Seong and a number of others were subsequently flown off by helicopter at midnight to Glasgow. They had a short break, and joined HMS LONDONDERRY to complete their sea training phase.

HMS LONDONDERRY 1974.

In keeping the Soon sports tradition alive, Tet Seong had represented the Royal Navy in hockey and badminton and had travelled with the teams all over the United Kingdom for various levels of tournaments. He had also participated actively in the RMN Hockey Team on his return from United Kingdom.

During the 1982 to 1983 period Tet Seong was selected to undergo Regular Special Duty Officer training. His training was undertaken in KD PELANDUK and also in the Port Dickson Army Camp. He was commissioned in 1983.

Tet Seong and wife Carolina at the Commissioning Ceremony 1983.

In a short summary Tet Seong’s RMN appointment were as follows:

(1)   1976 – 1977 – Fleet Technical Services Workshop

(2)   1977 – 1980 – KD SRI LANGKAWI
(3)   1981- 1982 – Fleet Technical Services Planning Office

(4)   1982 – 1983 – Port Dickson/KD PELANDUK SD Officer training

(5)   1984 – 1989 – Fleet Material Command (M&E) Electrical & Electronic Engineering Officer

(6)   1989 – 1993 – Communications Mindef/Lumut/Kuantan Project

                       

Upon retirement from the RMN on 30th May 1993, Tet Seong was employed and was directly involved in the setting up of the installation, testing and commissioning of Highway Emergency Telephone System.

Tet Seong is currently employed to provide services in the Inspection, Testing and Commissioning of all Systems on the Ampang LRT Extension Project and Existing Ampang Line and Ampang Depot.

Lt Col Loo Lee Fum (Retired), Royal Intelligence Corps T60880

Lt Col Loo Lee Fum (Retired)

Against the supposedly belief (but at times observed as an easy excuse) on Chinese sons not joining the military, two young 20 year old aspiring ladies, Loo Lee Fum and Toh Lian Sim @ Siti Linziana braved the odds to gain a place as pioneers and the first intake for Army lady cadets in 1977, a profession and field already monopolised and acclaimed by men. Loo, fresh from school, went through the special Army selection board at the Penang Local Defence Corps (LDC) prior to joining the Army. Whilst Toh was from Kuala Terengganu LDC, also fresh from school, went through the same interview process. All successful candidates (a total of 70 Men and women) from the whole Peninsular were sent to Tambun, Ipoh for their centralized training. After months of intensive training, they were commissioned on 7th January 1978 and subsequently absorbed into the various Corps except for the combatant units in the Army. Both Loo and Toh were selected to join the Royal Intelligence Corps due to their education background and ability to speak in multiple dialects and languages.

Pioneer Lady Cadets Selected from the Penang Local Defence Corps in 1977. Seen here - Brig Gen Dato Nurhuda Ahmad (Retired) (3rd from left) and Lt Col Loo (2nd from right).

1977 Pioneers - 1st Intake Lady Cadet Officers. Toh Lian Sim @ Siti Linziana and 

Loo Lee Fum.

During her tenure of service, Lt Col Loo Lee Fum, a Kedahan from Baling, began her career as a staff officer in Military Intelligence Special Branch (MISB) homed at the Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) Headquarters, Bukit Aman.

She had also served as Foreign Liaison Officer, intelligence instructor and Staff Officer in various intelligence units in the Ministry of Defence. As the desk officer in-charge of Communist Party of Malaysia (CPM) in Peninsular Malaysia, she has an in-depth knowledge on organisational structure, tactics and techniques and weaponry system of the CPM.

Whilst serving as strategic officer in-charge of East Asia region, she was an adviser on subjects pertaining to politico-military deployment of both China and Taiwan.

1996 Dr Col Liew (3rd from left) & Loo (1st right) in Glamoc, Bosnia.

She was the first lady officer cum intelligence officer to have served in the all important livewire Defence Operations Room (DOR) of the Armed Forces, overseeing the mobilization of peacekeeping troops to Bosnia & Herzegovina and furnishing ground intelligence to Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) operating there as well as local operations.

         

On the academic aspect, she holds a diploma in Defence and Strategic studies from University of Malaya and was a graduate of the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College (MTAT) – Commandant’s List in 1993. She rose to the rank of Lt Col in 2000 and retired in 2008 after 31 years of service.

                       

Mr Loo Yok Tian – a third digression related to volunteerism and loyalty - it may be prudent for this article to include that Lt Col Loo’s father, Loo Yok Tian, also played no lesser a role during his younger days in the deep loyalty that most Malaysian born Chinese have for the country. Loo Yok Tian (the only son to Mr Lo Khoon and Madam Khoo Peng Lan) enlisted as a member of Home Guard (Federation of Malaya) on 5th March 1953.

2012 - Loo Yok Tian

For the uninitiated, the Home Guard (Federation of Malaya) is a volunteer organization that plays a role in controlling security during the Emergency Period situation in the Federation of Malaya after the Second World War. During that Emergency Period, the Colonial British controlled various security forces in Malaya - police, military, Special Constabulary (SC) and Auxiliary Police (AP) nationally, but they were still hard pressed for a seamless control in the dire situations lower down within communities. Lt Gen Sir Harold Briggs, the Operations Director, proceeded to establish a Home Guard team in 1951, a set up similar to the Home Guard (United Kingdom) to close that gap, however the Malaya version was responsible for protecting villages and risky areas from communist terrorist sabotages.

This Home Guard team consists of ordinary citizens subject to the Home Guard Regulations 1951 and 1952. Under this provision, those between the ages of 18 and 55 may be deployed to become members of the Home Guard. The teams were established at all levels of the state, district, county and village, and their members were trained in custody, handling weapons, tactics and more. With this establishment, the police and military forces could then focus on launching their main trusts against the abolition communist operations federally, while the responsibility of controlling the villages, estates and mines were relegated and handed over to the Home Guard to help out in tandem.

The goals of the Home Guard were as follows:

(1)   Responsible for safety in their own areas

(3)   New Villages - the Home Guard assisted the military, the police and the SC – in checking identification of residents and the control of food, clothing, medicinal and weapon supplies, to ensure that they did not reach the hands of the communists.

Generally, since its establishment in 1951 until 1958, it is believed that the Home Guard team had killed 221 communist terrorists and injured another 110. Also 123 communist terrorists had surrendered to them. The Home Guard team was officially disbanded on 1 July 1959.

812217 LK1 TMK Soon Yew Fook @ Rudin Soon Abdullah RMN

Soon Yew Fook born on 2nd June 1963 is the eldest son of Soon Boon Yin. Boon Yin is the younger first cousin to Boon Leong and Boon Sooi, making Yew Fook, himself a 6th Generation Soon, a second cousin to the rest of the 6th Generation Soon’s mentioned earlier in this article.

LK1 TMK Soon Yew Fook @ Rudin Soon Abdullah.

After completing his SPM, the Kedah born Yew Fook enlisted on 1st January 1982 in the RMN and he was slotted into the Technical Branch. He spent the next 13 years in RMN as an Able Bodied Mechanic Engine (ABME) and completed his service on 1st January 1995.

In all his 13 years of service, and apart from short breaks for trainings, Yew Fook had spent most of his services sailing onboard KD PAUS, KD SERANG, KD GANAS, KD MAHAWANGSA. He had completed his tour of duties at the Lumut Pump House.

Yew Fook, after leaving the services is employed as a Security Executive till this day.

388673 Kenneth Soon Pow Lee (RMC)

Marine Engineer Kenneth Soon.

Kenneth Soon was born on 28th Feb 1982. He is the eldest son to Lt Col Loo Lee Fum (Retired) and Lt Soon Tet Leong RMN (Retired). He is a 7th Generation Soon. He received his early education in Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan, Jalan Gurney, Victoria Institution before he was admitted into the RMC starting at Form 2. His entry into the RMC was on 14th Dec 1995.

Kenneth (Rear 2nd left) RMC Sungei Besi 1996.

After the RMC, he was offered a full scholarship from the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC). Under this scholarship, he acquired his diploma in Marine Engineering graduating from the Malaysian Maritime Academy (ALAM). Kenneth Soon’s service in the Merchant Navy is truly another form of uniformed services.

                       

Kenneth under Training and Passing Out Akademi Laut Maritim (ALAM)

Through the initial diploma he subsequently obtained his 3rd Class unlimited Certificate of Competency (COC) and started working for MISC as a marine engineer in their chemical fleet. He worked the first six years of his career exclusively in chemical tankers. Kenneth then proceeded to take his 1st and 2nd Class combined course and had a change in career as he then started in oil and gas sectors in the Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) and Multi Purpose Supply Vessel (PSV). He has been in the oil and gas industry for the last decade and most of those years were exclusively under vessels chartered by SARAWAK SHELL BHD. Both his promotions to Second Engineer and Chief Engineer were all approved by SHELL and his promotion to Chief Engineer was in fact recommended by SHELL to the company.

Kenneth is currently employed by the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Ports Operating Company (IRSHAD) which is part of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as a Chief Engineer for Marine Tugs.

Kenneth upholds and one can tell from his seaman book record, loyalty is a trait instilled in him since his days in the Royal Military College. In his 14 years as a seaman he has only worked the bulk of it in 2 companies.

388731 Lionel Soon Pow Yik (RMC)

Lionel Soon Pow Yik, born on 28th February 1986, is the younger son of Lt Col Loo Lee Fum (Rtd) and Lt Soon Tet Leong RMN (Rtd). Lionel grew up in a military environment. He was exposed totally to a military culture for the better part of his upbringing. Though born in Penang, he had spent almost all his entire childhood life in the confines of the Ministry of Defence’s protected surroundings growing up in the Officers Married Quarters, Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur. He even started his first day in Kindergarten riding in a military vehicle to pre-school, an unaccompanied “anak askar” they would say. Lionel received his early education in Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan, Jalan Gurney, Sekolah Menegah Kebangsaan, Taman Melawati before he was admitted to the RMC starting in Form 2 Secondary education. His entry into the RMC was on 14th Dec 1999.

Lionel Passing Out from RMC 2003

                       

In the RMC from 14th December 1999-2003 he had completed his PMR and SPM examinations and certifications successfully.

Apart from the academic studies necessity, they were also provided with basic military exposures, experiences, basic weapons training and handling, compass marching and map reading.

He rose up and eventually achieved the rank of Junior Under Officer (JUO) in 2003. While in college, he participated actively in tennis and volleyball. He was also a college debate representative.

JUO Rank Holder 2003

The quality of education and training in the RMC facilitated Lionel to be directly admitted into Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) after his Form 5 to undergo first the Matriculation (Pre-University) phase before finally pursuing his full degree course. Lionel completed his university education when he passed out from UNITEN with a Bachelor Degree (B.Eng. Hons) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in the 2003 to 2008 period. He is today registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia (Registration no: 67418A).

Lionel joined the Oil and Gas Industry after graduation in 2008. He today has acquired experienced in project management for process and pipeline services with extensive experience in In-Line Inspections Operations, project management and coordination. His area of Specialties, the current vocation, is fulfilling the role of Project Manager of Baker Hughes Process and Pipeline Services in In-Line Inspection (ILI); Pipeline Pre-Commissioning, Project Engineering and Project Management.

CONCLUSIONS

Firstly, this article has narrated a typical Malaysian history regarding migration, homeland, ancestry, loyalty and uniform services (which incidentally also included the government services, army, navy, air force, boys’ wing, women and voluntary bodies) and of course a gainful life after serving the Armed Forces.

Secondly, the RMC was established with the objective of preparing young Malaysians to become Officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces hold office in the higher divisions of public service and become leaders in the professional, commercial and industrial life of the country. The RMC episodes quoted are typical success stories.

It therefore hurts when people or politicians insinuate that the Chinese or other races are not patriotic. It hurts when people or politicians insinuate that Chinese or other races just do not want to join the armed services. It hurts when people or politicians insinuate that the Chinese or other races only want to serve in the upper echelon of leadership. It hurts when people or politicians insinuate that the Chinese or other races shy away from the Armed Forces because of the low salaries offered. This article countered all such uncalled for sweeping statements. The Soon story in fact depicts all the good ingredients of citizenry, loyalty and love for the homeland.

And, to add more in support to the above paragraph, although this may be the first written account of the Soon family from Bukit Mertajam, readers must surely understand that we are truly not just the only family to have a long list of descendants in this country, nor are we the only ones to have a number of family members serving our nation and homeland loyally, whether or not in the uniforms. There are many other unwritten or untold stories along similar lines. Of the cuff amongst Chinese and Eurasian families and in uniforms that I can recall – there are the Thong, Yuen, Kwong, Rodrigues, Stevensons and Lai families, just to name a few (and it is because one can easily recall the illustrious surnames of these families). Surely this bunch of people and thousands more cannot be simply labelled unpatriotic.

Truly, people and politicians are barking up the wrong tree, there must be more reasons than the eye can see on why there is a lack of Chinese or other races wanting to serve in the uniform these days, after all many (pre and post Independence) had already given their lives in doing so. As to the real why – a soul searching exercise related to disappointments (the real picture) from those that had served would be necessary.

And finally, to the youths out there, please do not give up and also please take heart that there is life and there are success stories during and after serving the Armed Forces. In fact the Armed Forces training instil loyalty, integrity, management, discipline and intellectuality, which are well sought after ideals in most civilian environments.

Compiled and Written by:

Lt Soon Tet Leong RMN (Retired)

14 Aug 18

http://www.macva.org.my/homeland1.html

http://www.macva.org.my/homeland2.html

MY SPECIAL GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO LIEUTENANT SOON TET LEONG RMN (RETIRED) FOR HIS HISTORICALLY AND SENTIMENTALY VALUABLE ARTICLE ABOUT HIS FAMILY'S COMMITMENT TO THE NATION