Ipoh-based 2nd Malaysian Infantry Brigade is responsible for planning, coordinating and carrying out civic action (jiwa murni) programme in Perak. Focusing on retired military personnel and locals, the programme is aimed at fostering good and cordial relationship between the army and the local community. It is a continuation of the age-old psychological operations conducted since the Malayan Emergency (1948 to 1960) era.
Adopting a door-to-door approach, the programme, consisting of specialty teams such as medical, religious, repair and recovery, carpentry and engineering, travel from village to village seeking out their potential targets.
The medical team provides health and dental services while the religious team oversees spiritual training and activities. The repair, recovery and carpentry teams perform minor repairs on motor vehicles and houses while the engineering team repairs lines of communications such as roads, pathways and bridges.
The programme was launched on Saturday, May 6 at Kampung Sungai Perah. The morning began with some sporting activities involving the village kids, mainly from the local school and kindergarten. The kids then lined up for their dental check-up while the adults got their blood pressure checked.
The accompanying soldiers then did a gotong-royong with the villagers partaking in the general cleaning-up of the village. The day ended with a karaoke session, presentation of goody bags and a group photo session.
The brigade’s next visit was at Kampung Suak Padi on Sunday, May 21.
