Elite 'F-Team' commander Leong was a master strategist

KUALA LUMPUR: The late, retired Senior Assistant Commissioner 1 Datuk Leong Chee Woh was a master strategist who spearheaded anti-terrorist operations with clinical precision.

This is the take of Leong's former Special Branch E3F Special Operations Force squadmate, retired Assistant Commissioner Song Leng Kah, who was involved in many covert missions alongside the deceased.

"Dragon" Song, as he was referred to by his comrades, told the New Straits Times that Leong could make split-second decisions, during critical moments, that were crucial towards the success of many an operation of the force, more famously referred to as "F-Team", in the deep jungles of Peninsular Malaysia.

"Such was his trademark that Leong had earned the sobriquet 'Mike Charlie' for the abbreviation M.C., alias 'Mad Colonel'!

"He earned this moniker among his peers for his unorthodox manner in planning and giving impromptu directives, as the operations commander, without undue delay or hesitation that saved precious time in carrying out tasks promptly," said Song, who retired as a counsellor with the Malaysian embassy in Beijing, China in 2010, while completing his 32 years of service with the police force.

Song, 68, added that Leong was instrumental in numerous tactical manoeuvres in the "Eastern Corridor" of the peninsula – covering the deep jungles from Gua Musang (Kelantan) to Kuala Lipis and Raub (in Pahang) where much of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) terrorists and other underground elements were holed up.

"In some of our missions, we collectively captured up to 17 terrorists, killed four and injured dozens.

"Of course, we suffered casualties, too, during encounters and firefights but to a bare minimum owing to our expeditious action and forward intelligence," he said.

 The late retired Senior Assistant Commissioner 1 Datuk Leong Chee Woh (third from right) celebrating his 89th birthday in 2018 with his military and police buddies (from left) Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Soon Lian Cheng, Major (Rtd) Anthony Joseph Lim Seng Soon, Lt Col (Rtd) Otto Ong Hoon Teck, retired Deputy Superintendent Chan Kok Kong and retired Commissioner Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye at the cake-cutting ceremony at Emico Lounge in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. - NSTP/ ADRIAN DAVID
The late retired Senior Assistant Commissioner 1 Datuk Leong Chee Woh (third from right) celebrating his 89th birthday in 2018 with his military and police buddies (from left) Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Soon Lian Cheng, Major (Rtd) Anthony Joseph Lim Seng Soon, Lt Col (Rtd) Otto Ong Hoon Teck, retired Deputy Superintendent Chan Kok Kong and retired Commissioner Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye at the cake-cutting ceremony at Emico Lounge in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. - NSTP/ ADRIAN DAVID

He added that Leong, who operated under the codename "Scorpio" for his deadly sting manner, managed to curtail the communist terrorists' movement from Kelantan from advancing into Pahang.

"He held on to the principle of capturing the enemy rather than killing them, as he believed that one captured was more worthwhile than 10 killed," said Song, who added that Leong would be sorely missed by all quarters.

Former military intelligence senior officer Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Otto Ong Hoon Teck, 87, regarded Leong as a "sifu" (master) who demonstrated excellent leadership qualities, especially during a crisis.

"I first got to know him during my Kedah/Perlis posting in 1963. Leong was then serving with the Regional Border Committee Office based in Songkhla, Thailand.

"Among the joint military-police covert operations, codenamed 'Q', we were involved in was 'Op Radak/Senyap' around Kulim, Kedah and later 'Op Kelong' near Karak, Pahang where we managed to round up scores of terrorists without firing a single shot.

"This was in line with our objective of capturing the enemy alive to source for intelligence and in rehabilitating them to return to society as good citizens," he said.

He recalled Leong as being a witty and cheerful personality who did not force his charges to undertake a task which he himself could not achieve.

Former Guinness-Anchor Bhd senior sales manager Francis Yew said Leong, whom he had known from the 1970s, was a role-model citizen who served all communities irrespective of race or religion.

"I learned a lot of leadership qualities from him, which enabled me to interact and carry out my tasks in good stead when dealing with my colleagues and society.

"I learnt two key camaraderie traits from him – to to have a passion for esprit de corps and possess a 'consider it done' attitude," said Yew.

Retired former Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Wong Pui Lam said Leong had contributed immensely to the security of the country with his dedicated service.

Leong's F-Team squad was pivotal in the laying down of arms by the CPM and the signing of the Hatyaai Peace Agreement in Thailand in 1989.

Another squadmate and retired sergeant, who declined to be named, was grateful to Leong for saving his life during an encounter with the enemy.

"If not for Leong, I will not be alive today. I admired him for his timely intervention and tact in dealing with a group of terrorists who had cornered me point-blank during an operation.

The late retired Senior Assistant Commissioner 1 Datuk Leong Chee Woh's portrait and service medals at his wake ceremony at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.  - NSTP/ ADRIAN DAVID
The late retired Senior Assistant Commissioner 1 Datuk Leong Chee Woh's portrait and service medals at his wake ceremony at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur. - NSTP/ ADRIAN DAVID

"Leong managed to craftily talk it out with them to release me unharmed," he said, adding that the squadmates often relished at celebrating Leong's post-retirement annual birthday.

Earlier, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah expressed his condolences to the family of Leong.

His Majesty was saddened by the national hero's death and hoped that his family would be patient and strong in facing this ordeal.

"Al-Sultan Abdullah highly appreciates the late Leong's service and sacrifices in fighting and ending the communist terrorist insurgency in our country," an Istana Negara statement said.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sany expressed similar condolences.

Leong died from old age on Sunday at his home in Balakong, Selangor, just short of his 92nd birthday on Nov 11.

He had initially suffered a stroke and subsequent pneumonia a month ago and had sought treatment at Serdang Hospital.

Leong 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.

Leong had written six books — Scorpio: The Communist Eraser, Scorpio: Against the One-Eyed Dragon, Scorpio on the Dragons' Trail, Scorpio in the Dragons' Playground, Scorpio: On the Dragon's Demise, and The Invisible Invincible E3F.

His funeral will take place tomorrow at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi.

Leong leaves behind his wife Datin Liew Kim Har and sons Peng Kheong, Keng Kin and Peng Khuen.

Born in Taiping on Nov 11, 1929, he saw action during the First (1948-1960) and Second (1967-1989) Emergencies, the fight against the insurgency from the Northern Kalimantan People's Party (PARAKU) and the Confrontation with Indonesia (Jan 20, 1963-Aug 11, 1966).

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