In a different context, my story is about a Sarawak housewife who challenged two dozen armed terrorists who shot and fatally wounded her husband 57 years ago. In the hour-long incident courageous Kathrine anak Ningkan held back her anger until assassins used a machine gun on her family “execution style”.

On June 27 1965 an elite guerrilla unit called Resimen Para Komando Angkatan Darat (RPKAD), launched a killing spree along the Kuching-Serian Road. Infiltrating Sarawak by a “Jalan tikus” jungle track, 30 Indonesian commandos were on a mission was to assassinate the chief minister of Sarawak Stephen Kalong Ningkan.

But the plan to “kidnap or kill” the chief Minister failed following a premonition, a dream and visit of a black King Cobra. According to the chief minister’s daughter Diana, the visit was called off as her grandfather Ningkan anak Igam had a “jai mimpi” or bad dream.

Days earlier Sgt Ningkan killed a cobra that entered his quarters, an act the Iban considered “mali” or taboo, as the snake is depicted as “Keling” --the mythology god of war. Kathrine’s son Louis who was six-years-old at that time, said that three days before the attack a large cobra slithering into their quarters and reported it to his father.

“My father found it coiled up behind a door and killed the cobra…it was a bad omen for him and the police station,” he said. At 9.30 a.m. on the day of the planned assassination, unaware of the aborted visit, the commandos set up the explosives at the 24th mile bridge as a diversion.

But a premature detonation killed two men up-setting throwing their plan into disarray, and leading to a spate of killing of innocent civilians. First the terrorists killed a young shop-keeper and two others at the 24th mile bazaar who recognised some of commandoes who were local Chinese from Siburan.

After the incident the terrorists brazenly buried their comrades “under the noses” of the police in the jungle just opposite the 18th mile station. Even though the Chief Minster sitr was cancelled, at 10 p.m. the Commandoes caught the police by surprise by cutting through the security wire fencing and crawling unnoticed into the nine-man police station. They detained PC Sulaiman and PC Maul on duty at the charge room, and three others who were at their barracks and brought them to the police station.

To avoid capture, the remaining three policemen who were at the barracks hid at the married quarters. Louis recalled he was awake when two uniformed men in jungle green detained his father at their quarters. “My mother wanted to accompany her husband to the police station 100 metres away but was refused.

Ten minutes later gunshots rang out from the police station; the terrorists had lined up Sgt Ningkan and five others and opened fire. Sgt Ningkang was mortally injured, PC Samsudin and PC Maul slightly injured and three other policemen unhurt. Apparently, the cops were interrogated before they shot “execution” style.

Immediately after that, the terrorists set up a machine gun about 50 meters away from the police barracks and opened fire. Louis said: “Then they started firing and all hell broke loose. I was at the back of the room when the bullets started flying shattering the planks and everything around us. “I think they were trying to finish off the family but none of us were hurt.”

“Initially my mother insisted on following my father to the police station but a terrorist threatened to shoot her if she followed them terrorists.” Kathrine then collected her husband’s “Taring Babi” charms (wild boar tusk wrapped in yellow cloth). “Then prevent anyone from leaving, one terrorist mounted a machine gun 50 yards away from the barracks where 10 families were staying and opened fire.”

“I was at the back of the room when bullets started flying shattering the plants on the wall…but none os us were hurt’ According to Timah binti Deris, the wife of PC Samsudin, Kathrine appeared to be in a trance when she stood at the doorway after the attack on the families at the barracks.

Timah said; “Standing at the doorway of her quarters Kathrine addressed the terrorist loudly in Malay: “If you are so brave Kill me and my family but leave my husband alone.” Kathrine then tied the charms around her waist and a “parang” often used for jungle clearing or warfare.

Grabbing Louis’ arm, they walked to the police station where 15 terrorists were gathered. Louis said :“I heard my father calling out my name because I was his favourite. Mother then went to the hand-driven siren and continued winding it was the terrorist fled.”

“Inside the office my father was barfely alive. Lying beside him was PC Naing who was shot point blank in the fore head.” On June 28 Sgt Ningkan was given a state funeral in Kuching as thousands gathered at the St Thomas Anglican church. In July the Sarawak government launched “Operation Hammer” where the three Chinese villages in Siburan, Beratok and Tapah was fenced up for 15 years after the end of the first stage of the Insurgency with the Sri Aman Peace Accord.