5 days ago
Families of fallen Sabahans yearn for government recognition
Published on: Friday, July 18, 2025
Published on: Fri, Jul 18, 2025
By: Lorena Binisol Text Size: Hilda (left) holding a photo of her and husband. The late Ongging (middle) and the late Captain Boniface Jingulam (right) in his younger days. PENAMPANG: Little is known about the first batch of Kadazans and other indigenous people who joined the rebranded Malaysian armed forces. The late Captain Boniface Jingulam, a Kadazan from Penampang, was one of them. He joined the army in 1964, a year after Malaysia was formed. His widow, Hilda Bisol, 78, recalls the sacrifice of Boniface, who passed on in August 2017.
Advertisement Her journey was marked by resilience and strength, qualities that she believes many women like her carry. Not to mention, the often-overlooked emotional struggles faced by military spouses. Particularly the anxiety and fear that accompany the long periods of separation during their husband's deployments. Like the agonising wait for his return from perilous missions in the jungles. Capt Jingulam served from 1964 to 1977. One of the most harrowing moments was in 1975, during a fierce conflict when troops fought communist insurgents, resulting in the deaths of 11 high-ranking officers. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article.
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