Kuala lumpur: Actor Asyraf Muslim described portraying the commanding officer of seven soldiers killed in the 1981 Ulu Legong ambush as one of the most emotionally challenging and meaningful roles of his career. He imagined "a father losing seven children all at once" to understand the depth of the character's grief.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Asyraf portrayed the Commanding Officer of the 22nd Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment (22 RAMD), Lt. Col. Hamzah Othman, in the pantomime 'Darah Pahlawan Ulu Legong' (Blood of the Ulu Legong Heroes), staged at Dataran Pahlawan Negara in conjunction with the 2026 National Warriors' Day Parade held here today. The performance recreated the harrowing events of Oct 29, 1981, when seven soldiers from 22 RAMD were killed after the Malayan Communist Party terrorists ambushed their convoy during 'Operasi Sedar Gubir' in Ulu Legong, Baling.

Dataran Pahlawan Negara was transformed into the dense forests of Ulu Legong, with every movement portraying the tension experienced by the soldiers before the Volvo truck carrying them came under heavy fire from automatic weapons and M79 grenade launchers. As the soldiers fell one by one, the deafening gunfire gradually gave way to a haunting silence, leaving only the bodies of the fallen and their comrades desperately trying to save the wounded in a scene filled with grief and sacrifice.

The performance honored the seven fallen heroes -- Lance Corporal Hashim Sulaiman and Privates Rosli Mat Nayan, Jamil Mahmud, Jamil Abdul Hamid, Md Mendeka Ismail, Mazlim Wasal, and Mohd Khambali Mohd Sodeli -- who gave their lives defending the nation. Two other soldiers, Privates Md Said Adam and Md Shafie Kasim, survived the attack despite sustaining injuries.

For Asyraf, portraying a commanding officer who lost seven of his men in a single incident was both a privilege and a profound responsibility. He said the more he learned about the true story of the Ulu Legong tragedy, the more difficult it became to comprehend the emotional burden borne by a leader who had to accept the loss of seven young men under his command in an instant.

'When I understood and truly internalized the story of Ulu Legong, I found it deeply heartbreaking, and I believe anyone who watches this performance will feel its emotional impact. It reminds us that peace should never be taken for granted. Safeguarding the nation is not solely the responsibility of the armed forces or the authorities; every citizen has a role to play in defending the country in their own way,' he told Bernama.

Reflecting on the emotional conflict of the character, Asyraf said he imagined how a commanding officer would feel upon receiving news that seven of his men, most of them only 19 or 20 years old, had been killed. 'Imagine a father losing seven children all at once. As a leader, you would naturally feel sorrow, anger and helplessness for being unable to save your own men from the enemy's brutality. That is the true sacrifice of a warrior. Many people only see them on the battlefield, but they do not see the wounds they carry in their hearts,' he said.

Held under the theme 'Mengenang Jasa, Mengukuh Pertahanan' (Honouring Service, Strengthening Defence), this year's National Warriors' Day Parade was hosted by the Malaysian Army. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, attended the ceremony. Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Chief of Defence Force General Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman, and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail.