The prowess, agility, and efficiency of the Orang Asli in forest knowledge make the community the ideal choice to be recruited in the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) as a member of the General Operations Force (GOF) (Senoi Praaq).
The team was founded by Orang Asli Department head Richard Noone in May 1956 with a strength of 10 Orang Asli aimed at eliminating the communist threat in the community in the jungle.
Presently, the unit, which is placed under the GOF, Department of Internal Security and Public Order (JKDNKA), still serves to maintain national peace from enemy threats, especially in the forest and is involved in search and rescue missions in the forest.
After being set up for more than 60 years, Senoi Praaq was back into focus in the search mission of an Irish-French teenage girl, Nora Anne Quoirin who went missing in Negeri Sembilan in August last year.
The unit was mobilized to track and detect the teenager apart from being deployed to track down poachers who damaged the flora and fauna of the country in October last year.
The Senoi Praaq team was trained in combat knowledge and quick attack tactics which made the unit legendary for its expertise in detecting and hunting communist terrorists deep into the jungles of the Malaysian-Thai border.
Besides, they are very skilled in identifying trails in the forest and skilled in detecting booby traps set by the enemy.
The matter was acknowledged by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador when Senoi Praaq has an excellent and good reputation and was feared by smugglers at the country’s borders because they were trustworthy and have high integrity in carrying out their duty.
He said this at a special press conference after a Senoi Praaq member was suspected of being shot by smugglers while conducting an intelligence exercise at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Padang Besar, Perlis.
Today, Bernama reported that a PGA member (Senoi Praaq) who was on duty at the border was killed in a shootout with a group of smugglers while another was seriously injured.
The slain member was Corporal Baharuddin Ramli, 54, from the Semelai tribe, while his colleague, Corporal Norihan a / l Tari was seriously injured and is being treated at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar.
Sources: BERNAMA.