THE communist insurgency in Malaysia spanned over 20 years between the 60s and 80s.
It was a trying time for security forces as they fought tooth and nail to keep the subversives in the deep jungles away from the masses.
Police personnel tasked with intelligence-gathering and to sniff out prime locations of the enemy were often the primary targets of the insurgents.
Arguably two of the biggest casualties of the insurgency came in 1974 and 1975 when two police top brass who were uncompromising and instrumental in mowing down the communists were assassinated.
The national heroes were Malaysia’s third inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim (pix) and then Perak police chief DCP Tan Sri Koo Chong Kong.
On June 7, 1974, Abdul Rahman was on his way to Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur, driven in his official Mercedes Benz by Sgt Omar Yunus.
As his car passed Jalan Tun Perak, it was waylaid by two gunmen who opened fire at the vehicle.
The shots killed Abdul Rahman, who was about a month shy of turning 50 and had been appointed IGP just 16 months earlier.
Omar, who was seriously wounded, survived the attack.
A no-nonsense police officer, Abdul Rahman was known to be a sharp and brilliant strategist who effectively thwarted communist movements in the country.
His attackers were neither caught nor identified but communist insurgents were suspected to be responsible.
The following year, on Nov 13, 1975, Koo was targeted in a similar assassination.
He had left the state police headquarters in Ipoh in his Volvo official car with his driver, Const Yeong Peng Cheong, and was on his way home for lunch.
As they pulled over at a traffic light on Jalan Ashby near Fair Park, a motorcyclist and his pillion rider, both dressed like schoolboys, stopped next to the car.
The assailants whipped out pistols and multiple gunshots rang out. Koo, who suffered at least four gunshot wounds to his head and upper body, slumped in the back seat of the car.
On seeing his boss attacked, Yeong stepped out of the car and fired at the gunmen. He was killed on the spot when the assailants returned fire.
Koo was rushed to the Ipoh General Hospital but succumbed to his injuries the next day.
The police officer was highly feared by communist insurgents as he had comprehensive knowledge of their tactics and had studied their movements closely.
Months earlier, Koo, who was the Sarawak police chief, was asked by his superiors to return to Perak and tasked to take on the state’s growing insurgency.
Although he knew his life was at stake and was on the top of the insurgents’ hit list, he agreed unhesitatingly and was resolute in defeating the enemy.
His attackers were later arrested, charged for murder and sentenced to death.
One of the killers was also implicated in Abdul Rahman’s death, although it was never proven.
