KUALA LUMPUR: Retired Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Leong Chee Woh, the mastermind behind the elite Special Branch's E3F Special Operations Force - code-named F-Team - died today.
Leong was just short of his 92nd birthday this Nov 11.
He was handpicked to lead the pioneer E3F Squad of 13 Special Branch men in March 1971 to carry out covert operations for intelligence gathering on communist terrorists' activities.
His close family friend Michael Choo said Leong died from old age at his house in Balakong, Selangor at 12.21pm.
Choo said Leong had initially suffered a stroke followed by pneumonia a month ago. He was then treated at the Serdang Hospital.
"It has been an honour getting to know him since I first met him in 2008 during the launch of one of his books. Since then, we forged a very close relationship.
"Leong is a great hero who has touched the hearts of many, contributed immensely to the country and his demise is certainly a great loss to the country.
"He certainly deserves a state funeral befitting a warrior," said Choo, a businessman.
Leong leaves behind wife Datin Liew Kim Har and sons Leong Peng Kheong, Leong Keng Kin and Leong Peng Khuen.
Funeral arrangements, Choo said, were being made under strict Covid-19 standard operating procedures.
The wake is from 11am tomorrow at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi, followed by his funeral at 10am on Wednesday.
Born in Taiping, Perak in 1929 and raised by his adoptive parents, Leong had penned six books in his lifetime, among them The Invisible Invincible E3F.
The former special branch operative was bestowed the country's second highest gallantry award - Panglima Gagah Berani (PGB) - by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V on Sept 9, 2017.
He was awarded the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah that carries a datukship, by the King in 2010 during the Federal Territory Day celebrations.
Both recognitions were awarded after his 34 years' service and retirement as a Special Branch deputy director (operations) at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman on Nov 10, 1984, owing to the secrecy of his covert operations which were later declassified.
After completing his Form Five Senior Cambridge in 1949, Leong initially worked as a Taiping Town Council clerk after the Japanese Occupation, before serving as a chief clerk at the Selama police district headquarters.
He opted to join the force on Dec 1, 1950, to train as a probationary police inspector.
He saw action during the First (1948-1960) and Second (1970- 1991) Emergencies, prior to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) era.
During one of his last interviews, Leong told the New Straits Times how he had dedicated his entire life to ridding the country off the communist terrorist threat, making it a safer place to live.
"I am proud to have been part of this successful mission for my country. The E3F was not a blood-thirsty unit out for a kill, rather it helped capture many of the terrorists to bring them to justice for their actions, and rehabilitate them to rejoin society as productive citizens," he had said in the interview.
"Our results speak for themselves in purging the communist terrorists out of the jungle and eventually putting an end to their struggles.
"Sure, I had butted heads here and there but it was well worth it. Like the saying goes, you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg," Leong had said.
He added that although he had carried a gun, there were many instances he did not need to fire a single shot in his endeavours during the confrontations and exploits.
"There are many ways to win a war and reckon the government should thank the force members for saving a bundle of bullets and bombs!
"As society moves on, we should not forget the struggles of the past and appreciate the contributions of the security forces. I did not hate my enemies as all were born good but went astray by being manipulated to do evil with hatred," he said.
Leong's squad was instrumental in the elimination of 1,744 terrorists that led to the laying down of arms of the CPM and the Sarawak Communist Organisation that led to the peace accord in Haadyai, Thailand, in 1989.
Read more here:
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/293598/cop-gets-gallantry-award-years-after-retirement