SIBU (July 10): Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) president Major (R) Moses Ripai has called on both the federal and Sarawak governments to strengthen the state’s security infrastructure and formally recognise the historic contributions of the Sarawak Rangers, placing Dayak leadership at the core of future defence strategies.

Drawing from his own decorated military career, Moses asserted that Sarawak must no longer be treated as a passive backline in Malaysia’s national security planning.

“With Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara rising in Kalimantan and rising tensions in the South China Sea, Sarawak is no longer at the periphery – it is now on the frontline,” he said in a statement.

He warned that border districts such as Bukit Mabong, Belaga, and Lawas remain highly exposed to cross-border threats, smuggling, and exploitation.

Defence responses, he stressed, must be tailored to Sarawak’s geography, history, and local expertise.

Moses, who served in the 6th Royal Rangers Regiment and participated in Malaysia’s Special Forces mission during United Nations operations in Somalia, underscored the importance of institutionalising the legacy of the Sarawak Rangers – a unit composed primarily of Dayak warriors renowned for their jungle warfare skills and loyalty during key conflicts such as the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation.

“Many of these warriors served with honour, but died unsung. Their families were forgotten, their history left to fade,” he said.

He supported a recent call by Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi for Sarawak and the Dayak community to be given greater responsibility in the country’s defence strategy, describing the minister’s remarks as “bold and timely.”

“It echoes PBDS’ longstanding position that Sarawak must be entrusted with the responsibility and the tools, to secure its own future,” said Moses.

He also proposed that Sarawak establish its own Territorial Army Regiment or ranger-based detachment, composed of local personnel particularly Dayak veterans and military-trained youth.

To preserve and honour the past, Moses also proposed the establishment of a Sarawak Rangers Memorial and Research Centre in either Kapit or Sri Aman, aimed at documenting history, training future generations in jungle warfare, and nurturing a sense of military pride in rural communities.

“Security must be homegrown. No one knows this land better than our own people. And no one has earned the right to defend it more than those who already gave their blood for it.”

He further called for greater integration of Dayak veterans into national roles involving border defence, disaster relief, and community safety, especially in areas lacking formal security presence.

Moses also identified Lt Gen (R) Datuk Stephen Mundaw, former Commander of the Eastern Field Command, as the ideal figure to lead any formal revival or institutionalisation of the Sarawak Rangers legacy.

“I served beside Datuk Stephen Mundaw. We shared trenches and walked the same trails. He is not only a respected senior officer, but a grounded and loyal son of Sarawak,” he noted.

Moses concluded by stressing that Sarawak’s defence role must evolve from that of a “forgotten frontier” into a central pillar of Malaysia’s overall security framework.

“Peace does not come by accident. It is paid for by men who served quietly and died anonymously.

“Let us not fail their memory. Let us give Sarawak the respect and readiness it deserves.”

border security lead Moses Ripai PBDS Sarawak Rangers