TUMPAT: The roar of the Nuri helicopter may have faded from Malaysia’s skies, but for retired Corporal Hanafi Salleh of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), the echoes of more than a decade spent with the legendary aircraft remain as vivid as ever.
For the Kampung Dalam Rhu native, memories of his service with the Nuri are inseparable from the roles he once shouldered — as part of the elite Ground and Air Defence (Handau) unit, now known as the Air Force Special Forces (PASKAU), a paratrooper, and a member of the search-and-rescue team.
“Almost every day I was with the Nuri, whether for troop movements, training or emergency missions. I once experienced an emergency landing in Mersing, Johor due to engine failure, and the incident is still fresh in my memory.
“There were also missions involving the transport of remains, as well as a rescue operation for recruits who were attacked while travelling through forested areas in Lahat, Perak,” he told Bernama recently.
Hanafi, 66, served with the RMAF for 13 years from the mid-1970s before joining the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), where he remained until his retirement.
Hanafi, who once led a rescue team, said that although there were incidents of Nuri helicopters crashing involving his comrades, it did not deter him from continuing to serve the nation.
He also recalled his first night jump as one of the most nerve-wracking moments of his career.
“One unforgettable incident was when a comrade’s parachute did not fully open, forcing him to land on another colleague’s parachute. Thankfully both of them landed safely using a single chute,” he said.
Hanafi said he took part in a night jump from a Charlie aircraft with about 50 other personnel and was chosen as the first to leap from the plane.
“I was only 26 at the time, with life hanging by a thread. Alhamdulillah, I survived, because as soldiers we must always be prepared to place the safety of the nation above our own lives and families,” he added.
In conjunction with Malaysia Day today, Hanafi stressed that the younger generation must understand the responsibility of defending national sovereignty and embrace it with a spirit of patriotism.
“Understand history and respect the Jalur Gemilang. It is not just a symbol, but a mark of the nation’s dignity,” he said.
For his service and sacrifices, Hanafi received the Pingat Jasa Malaysia in May 2015 and the Pingat Perangai Baik in 2012 in conjunction with the Sultan of Kelantan’s birthday celebration. – BERNAMA