Army Veteran Dragged Into Political Game

Famous Sarawakian army veteran Kanang a/k Langkau made a comment against the Youth Chief of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) on August 28th. He apparently made the remark in the Malayan Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysia against Mohammad Sabu to the extent of saying Sabu is useless.

Kanang as a respected army veteran should know better than to meddle in politics. The fact that his statement was made in the United Malays National Organization's (UMNO) mouthpiece speaks volumes of this person.

Kanang has made a statement in a pro-UMNO newspaper against the opponents of UMNO. Kanang should remember that despite his dislike for the communist insurgents, these rebels too were fighting for what they thought was right. And these rebels too lost a lot of men in their struggle.

Therefore if anyone has a favourable opinion of these rebels, then let them have their say. He should not have said this or that person is useless because they contradict his ideas.

Whatever it was , facts remain facts, and the rebels would always be remembered as rebels while Kanang would always be remembered as a hero.

But to stick his nose in the quarrel between two political parties by allowing his credentials as a veteran to be used is most disgusting.

Kanang better keeps whatever's left of his good name while he can. Or else he will not be remembered as a hero, but a political pawn.

He should remember that all the medals and titles bestowed upon him were not meant to be used as a political weapon.