SECURITY FORCE IN OPERATION; THROUGH JUNGLE; QUESTIONING A MAN; INJURED MEMBER OF FORCE AIRLIFTED BY HELICOPTERS TO HOSPITAL; ROADBLOCK; VEHICLES BEING CHECKED; IDENTITY CARDS OF PASSENGERS BEING SCRUTINISED.




Initials RM/V/JH/ES



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Background: A MALAYSIAN SECURITY FORCE HAS STEPPED UP ITS SEARCH ALONG SARAWAK'S KUCHING-SERIAN ROAD FOR A GROUP OF INFILTRATORS SAID TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN LAST MONTH'S BORDER CLASH. THE GROUP IS CLAIMED TO CONSIST OF HEAVILY ARMED INDONESIANS AND DEFECTED SARAWAK CHINESE COMMUNISTS.

RECENTLY THE SECURITY FORCE WAS INVOLVED IN A DAY-LONG ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INFILTRATORS. AT LEAST TWO OF THE INFILTRATORS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHERS WOUNDED. ONE MEMBER OF THE SECURITY FORCE WAS KILLED. ANOTHER, WOUNDED IN BOTH LEGS, WAS PICKED UP BY A HELICOPTER AND TAKEN TO A KUCHING HOSPITAL.

IN A BID TO SEAL OFF THE AREA, THE SECURITY FORCE SET UP ROADBLOCKS. ALL PRIVATE AND GOODS VEHICLES, INCLUDING BUSES, WERE STOPPED AND SEARCHED. IDENTITY CARDS OF PASSENGERS WERE THOROUGHLY SCRUTINISED. SO FAR, SOME 23 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING DURING SEARCH OPERATIONS.

THE SECURITY FORCES SAY THAT DOCUMENTS CAPTURED SHOW THAT THE INFILTRATORS HAD INTENDED TO CREATE SERIOUS INCIDENTS IN THE AREA TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL REBELLIONS IN SARAWAK.