Kuala lumpur: The Iban phrase, meaning 'The dream does not bode well... don't do it' has remained etched in the memory of the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, even after more than 50 years. Those were the last words uttered by Jungle Squad Constable Jabu Ajai before he was killed during an operation to hunt communist terrorists in Tulai, Sarawak, in 1971. For Wan Junaidi, who was leading the team during the operation, the incident was more than just another episode in the line of duty. It was a deeply moving experience that taught him enduring lessons about responsibility, leadership, and humanity. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Junaidi recalled that as an Inspector at the time, he was ordered to lead his platoon to a location for a special operation after a team stationed at Tulai, Binatang (now Bintangor), came under an ambush. The attack left two Jungle Squad personnel dead and six others seriously injured. After receiving a briefing in the operations room, his plat oon left Sibu for the location at about 4 pm aboard a Nuri helicopter and spent the night near the area. He instructed his men that they had to move at 7 am the next morning because they could not spend two nights in the same place. The aim was to find those who had killed their men. The following morning, as all the personnel were preparing to move out, Jabu was still asleep. Wan Junaidi wondered why Jabu had not got up, and Constable Merom Bujak volunteered to wake him up the Gurkha way by kicking him until he woke up. Once awake, Jabu mentioned having a nightmare, but before Wan Junaidi could ask more about it, he ordered Jabu to get ready and delayed their movement by an hour. They finally set off at 8 am to begin the mission. After about two hours of traveling, the team arrived in a hilly area, where a reconnaissance team alerted them to the suspicious movement of several individuals believed to have fled from a nearby house. Wan Junaidi and his men proceeded to the house for further inspection. Inside , they found an elderly man, a woman, and five children. Nothing appeared unusual, except for several cups of tea on the table, which was suspicious because children would not typically drink tea, and there were too many glasses. Wan Junaidi then instructed one of the men to check the hilly area behind the house. The search uncovered a resting place used by communist terrorists, confirming that the house had been used as a stopover for the communists before retreating to a strategic position on the hill. Wan Junaidi led his platoon up the hill when suddenly gunfire erupted from the enemy's direction. In a split second, Jabu and Merom fell. Wan Junaidi rushed to Jabu, who had died on the spot, while Merom was seriously injured. He vividly remembers the blood gushing from Jabu's body and realized that Jabu's nightmare was a bad omen. After realizing that Jabu had been killed, Corporal Majani, his close friend, rushed forward, embraced his body, and wept. Majani, overwhelmed by grief and anger, wanted to kill all the civilians in the house. He acted rashly, returning to the house with the intention of killing the elderly man, woman, and children while pointing a Bren light machine gun at them. Realizing what Majani was about to do, Wan Junaidi immediately rushed back to the house and stopped him. He ordered a team member, Hassan, to maintain tight control of the situation. Wan Junaidi emphasized that the principles of humanity and the safety of civilians could never be compromised, even amidst battle and the loss of a comrade. Investigations later revealed that the elderly man was a key leader responsible for managing the finances of communist terrorists in the area. Intelligence also revealed that the killing of the Jungle Squad personnel at Tulai Camp was carried out by a group from Ngemah led by Ubong Nuing. Ubong Nuing was the leader of the North Kalimantan People's Army (PARAKU), an Iban who joined the communist armed movement in Sarawak opposed to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, before surrendering to the authorities in the 1980s. Wan Junaidi said his years serving as a Jungle Squad officer taught him the true meaning of discipline, emotional control, and humanity while carrying the responsibility of defending the country. He learned the importance of understanding his men's beliefs, particularly when faced with critical situations. In the jungle, where uncertainty is everywhere, the strength of a team lies not only in its weapons but in the confidence and trust they have in one another. Wan Junaidi's experiences as a police officer were also documented in his 2014 book, A Policeman, which includes accounts of his encounters with the communist threat and historical information on the era of communist violence in Sarawak. Born in Kampung Pendam (now Sadong Jaya), Sarawak, on Feb 1, 1946, Wan Junaidi joined the Royal Malaysia Police in 1964 and served in the Jungle Squad from 1968 to 1973. He later pursued legal studies at the University of Buckingham, England, before becoming a practising lawyer. Wan Junaidi became actively involved in politics and administration, holding several key positions in the Federal Cabinet before being appointed President of the Senate. He was appointed the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak for a four-year term from Jan 26, 2024, to Jan 26, 2028.