PONTIAN: The memory of how five of his brothers in arms lost their lives in a communist terrorist ambush 48 years ago in Sarawak, still evokes feelings of emotion in 72-year-old retired Staff Sergeant Ahmad Ibrahim.

In the incident, which took place in Sarawak on a Friday when sunny weather suddenly turned to a shower of rain, Ahmad was on his way back with six other colleagues from the hospital to their duty station at Kem Biawak in Sematan, located about 97 kilometres from Kuching, when they were sprung upon by a group of communist terrorists hiding in the jungle.