theSun | TUESDAY DECEMBER 16 2008
news without borders
Test of time and skill
for the RER
by Charles Ramendran
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bukit
Antarabangsa landslide disaster
provided the Royal Malaysian
Army’s engineering division the
opportunity to show that their
skills and capabilities were not
confined to the battlefields.
The Dec 6 landslide was
a curtain raiser for the Royal
Engineer Regiment (RER),
probably the first time the
public witnessed its role in the
army of providing relief during
natural disasters.
Rolling out special military
equipment, they toiled dili-
gently, working in typical
military regimentation to free
residents stranded in their
homes.
They displayed their
expertise in building a bridge
and paving paths around roads
cut off by the landslide.
The commanding officer
œ7
of the 9th RER
constructions
regiment, Lt. Kol
Ho Hin Chai,
who oversaw
the construction
of roads and
bridges at the Ho alternative road at the Bukit the personnel, who had proved
disaster site, said supervises Antarabangsa site, the 4th their mettle.
it was the first RER Bridging Squadron from an He said army personnel
time the regiment personnel RER camp in Gemas, Johor took just 90 minutes to lay a
had been tasked as they was behind the laying of a bridge and 20 hours to build
with providing dismantle a steel military bridge across a an alternative road which has
relief in a natural steel bridge monsoon drain close to the been used by more than 7,000
disaster. at the site relief centre. vehicles since its construction a
“Our division of the Bukit He said about 100 RER day after the landslide.
is like the JKR Antara- personnel were involved in the Selangor Mentri Besar Tan
(Public Works is based at Batu Kentonmen bangsa operation, which proved to be Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who met
Department) of the army,” he Camp on Jalan Ipoh here. landslide. a success and was testimony all army personnel taking part
said. Among the RER’s other to the usefulness of the heavy in the operation on Sunday,
“Our function during war functions is to lay and clear military equipment acquired thanked them for their efforts
is to pave roads, lay bridges landmines, build landing points by the army for RM90 million and commended them for a job
across rivers, erect camps to or helipads, and supply treated in 2005. well done.
house soldiers and provide water to military troops. Brigadier Jeneral Datuk “You have come here under
any kind of support which will Ho said that while the unit Azman Rosli, who headed different circumstances and
ease the mobility of troops. under his immediate command army operations at the site of done a commendable job.
All this has to be done at great was in charge of conducting the disaster, said the operation The Selangor government is
speed and order,” said Ho, who surveys for and building an was a test of time and skill for grateful to you,” he said.